Meet the Team

Erika Mercer serves as the executive director of Booth Entrepreneurship at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this role, she oversees all entrepreneurship programming within Chicago Booth, leading a team of staff in developing co-curricular programs and experiential learning opportunities for MBA students, alumni, and other related constituents. This includes managing the startup, private equity, venture capital, entrepreneurship through acquisition, and small business programs that serve the professional interests of students and alumni. She has been with the Polsky Center since 2010 and, over that time, has led the development and growth of numerous Polsky Center offerings.

Erika brings close to 20 years of experience in higher education, having previously held roles in the international programming offices at the University of Chicago, Harvard University, and Brown University, where she managed, developed, and promoted study abroad programs worldwide, acted as the primary contact for students, faculty, and staff on site, and provided international training and advising to undergraduates. She served as a member of several international education organizations, including The Forum on Education Abroad and NAFSA: Association of International Educators; was published in Abroad View Magazine and the Bulletin of the American Research Center in Egypt; and presented at national conferences on the topic of cultural and citizen diplomacy. She also interned in the Academic Editorial Department at Oxford University Press, where she assisted editors with the review and preparation of manuscripts for production.

Erika earned a BA, magna cum laude, from Middlebury College and an EdM from Harvard University. She has studied in Spain, Germany, and Egypt.

Amber Bradley, Ed.D., PPS, serves as the associate director, New Venture Challenge (NVC) at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She oversees and grows the NVC and its tracks, expanding the nationally recognized program and the resources available to University of Chicago entrepreneurs.

Amber has come to Chicago from Los Angeles, where she spent the past nine years working at the University of Southern California. Most recently, she held two positions: as assistant director of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA) initiatives and as senior academic advisor at USC’s Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for the Arts, Technology and Business of Innovation. In this role, she supported the recruitment and admission initiatives of the Academy, including communication, outreach, interviews, and group presentations, and advised on the school’s recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups at the student, faculty, and staff levels.

Amber is a native of Southern California. She holds a doctorate in education with an emphasis in higher education administration, as well as a master of education in educational counseling and a Pupil Personnel Services Credential in school counseling from the USC Rossier School of Education. She also earned a bachelor of arts in psychology from California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) and an associate of arts in liberal arts from Santa Monica College.

Outside of work, Amber loves the beach, dancing, all things Disney, and is a huge foodie. She is looking forward to exploring the food scene in Chicago and welcomes any recommendations!

Paul Cavalieri serves as the senior associate director, small business operations at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Paul manages and builds the educational and experiential offerings in Polsky’s small business portfolio, oversees the Polsky BUILD and LAUNCH Summer Accelerator, supports students interested in closely held and family business, and serves as a resource to local businesses on a variety of operations topics.

Prior to joining Polsky, Paul gained expertise managing a medium-size enterprise at Race Pace Bicycles, a chain of seven bicycle shops in Maryland. Along with running the day to day operations, Paul focused on developing the company’s human resources system and bringing customer relationship management approaches to the marketing communications strategy. Before Race Pace, Paul worked as a third grade teacher at a public elementary school in Brooklyn, NY.

Paul earned an MBA from the University of Colorado, a master of science in education from Long Island University, and a bachelor of arts in journalism and government from American University. In his spare time, Paul enjoys spending time with his wife, daughter and son and riding mountain bikes (slowly), playing drums (loudly), and learning Italian (parla un poco).

Megan is the director of the Svider Private Equity Program and in her role manages a portfolio of experiential programs that help students pursuing careers in investing gain access to training and mentorship in private equity, venture capital, and entrepreneurship through acquisition. The Svider Private Equity Program is the umbrella program that includes all of our PE, VC, and ETA initiatives and utilizes the expertise and resources of the Polsky Center to provide innovative programs that are supported by, and help students access, our broad Booth network.

The Svider Private Equity Program suite includes the Private Equity and Venture Capital (PE/VC) Lab, which offers a firsthand look at private equity through an academic-year internship and academic course; the Sterling Partners Investment Thesis Challenge (SPITC), which provides investment thesis training with mentors at private equity firms; the Private Equity Case Challenge (PECC), a global, intercollegiate case competition held in partnership with Oxford University; and the PE Alumni/Student Coaching program, a mentorship program that matches Booth students pursuing careers in private equity with members of the Polsky Center Private Equity Council and Chicago Booth alumni network for one-on-one mentoring and advising sessions. In addition, Megan manages the annual Chicago Booth Private Equity Conference and the UChicago Private Markets Program, an immersive academic and career-oriented program to educate College students in the private markets through theory, cases, and modeling workshops, and position them to pursue professional opportunities in private equity, private credit, family capital and private markets investing, and investment banking.

Kylie Gilmore serves as the Assistant Director, Student Programs at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Kylie manages a portfolio of programs under the Svider Private Equity Program suite, with a specific focus on Polsky’s Entrepreneurship through Acquisition and Venture Capital programming.

Prior to joining Polsky, Kylie worked as Director of Campus Engagement at Concordia University Chicago where she managed university wide programs including orientation, student organizations, events and more. She has been serving in the Higher Education sector since she was a student herself, bringing almost a decade of experience.

Kylie graduated with her BA in Marketing from the University of Illinois Springfield where she then accepted a job as Assistant Director of Marketing. During her time in this role, she pursed a MA in Communication and in 2019, graduated and relocated to Chicago.

In her spare time, Kylie enjoys spending time with her family back home in Rockford and attending as many live music and comedy events as possible.

Sarah Harris is the Assistant Director, Operations at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Part of the Education and Programming team at the Polsky Center, Sarah focuses on the Center’s business operations, specifically bookkeeping related to procurement and vendor relationships, and expense system management.

Sarah comes to the University of Chicago with over a decade of experience in Operations and Administration, much of which has been in Southern California’s nonprofit sector. Having worked in a wide range of positions and leadership, Sarah holds a deep appreciation for the importance of organizational culture. She is committed to creating operational systems and policies that empower people to focus on their most important work and cultivating a healthy, productive working environment that respects, honors and promotes excellence.

A recent transplant to Chicago, Sarah was born and raised in Long Beach, California. She earned a B.A. in Recreation and Leisure Services at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) and enjoys camping, reading, thrifing, and looking for ways to get involved and enjoy her local community.

Heyward Harrison serves as the Assistant Director of Entrepreneurship Programs and Outcomes. In this role, he assists the entrepreneurship programs team in administering a series of student founder-focused educational programs that are designed to bring inspiration and support to prospective entrepreneurs.

He was a student-athlete at UNC Chapel Hill where he was an Olympic Trials qualifier in the Men’s 200M Backstroke. He then moved abroad to Australia where he was a swim instructor for children and adults. His time as a teacher abroad and his experience as a student-athlete were the foundation for his passion for education and the student experience.

Prior to joining Polsky, Heyward lived in Clark, Colorado where he worked for Vista Verde Guest Ranch. He then moved to Chicago and worked as a Client Service Representative for Northern Trust in their Benefit Payments department before embarking on his career in Higher Education with the University of Chicago.

Heyward is passionate about media and devotes much of his free time to film, literature, video games, and music. He is also a huge fan of basketball and his partner Maddie.

Lisa Hearon is the associate director of Science Programs and Student Engagement at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago. In her role, Lisa leads strategic programming that bridges scientific discovery with entrepreneurial action. She oversees key initiatives such as the Collaboratorium, which connects researchers and scientists with business students to explore commercialization opportunities; the I-Corps program, where she supports teams in testing their assumptions through customer discovery; and the Innovation Fellows, a cohort-based program that empowers students to gain hands-on experience in entrepreneurship and venture support.

Lisa also plays a central role in meeting with students across disciplines to help them navigate and engage with the wide array of innovation and entrepreneurship programs available at Polsky. She is passionate about helping students find their place in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, whether they’re curious about launching a startup or contributing to a venture team.

A passionate advocate for education and innovation, Lisa co-founded The Cambridge School of Chicago, a private elementary school grounded in a holistic educational approach. The school emphasized STEM learning through collaborations like the Museum of Science and Industry’s Fab Lab, and held annual spring productions on the University of Chicago campus, earning recognition from local media.

Lisa holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she served as a research assistant and contributed to student-led research through scientific presentations and conferences.

In her spare time, Lisa enjoys bowling, roller skating, diving into family genealogy, organizing family reunions, and spending time with her energetic mini goldendoodle, Nova. She’s also an avid pool player when time permits and is always looking for an opportunity to RACK ‘EM!

Mary Kay Loncar serves as the associate director at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Mary Kay manages the day-to-day operations of the Polsky Center from budget reporting, gift, sponsorship and investment processing, contracts, and logistics. She maintains internal relationships with University of Chicago departments and external partners and considers herself a generalist committed to making sure the students the Center serves and her colleagues have the information and resources they need to do their job. 

Prior to joining Polsky, Mary Kay was an assistant director of marketing at UChicago Medicine, where she did similar work. Having spent time on the other side of the University, she was able to transfer her institutional knowledge to her current role and maintains relationships with former colleagues and contacts across campus. Prior to working the University of Chicago, she worked in advertising, marketing, and corporate communications/production. 

Mary Kay earned a B.S. in journalism from the University of Kansas.  

Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, in her spare time Mary Kay is interested in travel and spending time with family and friends. She is also working on becoming a much better cook with the support of her ‘foodie’ colleagues. 

Isra Omar, serves as the Senior Assistant Director, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Isra oversees the Small Business Growth & Financial Fundamentals Program, leading to the expansion and advancement of numerous small businesses. Isra manages a portfolio of initiatives, including promoting the program to attract clients and student consultants, leading the recruitment, selection, and onboarding process, and developing program scope and objectives in collaboration with the Faculty Director, student consultants, and small business clients.

Isra has a strong passion for helping small businesses and the local Chicago community. She volunteered for the Muslim American Leadership Alliance (MALA) where she managed the oral recording sessions of its storytellers in partnership with StoryCorps. In recognition of her hard work, Isra was named the first recipient of the Emerging Young Leader Award presented during the 2018 Annual MALA Gala. Isra is a graduate of DePaul University with a degree in accountancy and a minor in Arabic studies.

Lucas Peralta is an experienced educator and innovator serving as the Polsky Center’s Director of Strategic Data Initiatives. His penchant for solving difficult problems has made him a key leader and process innovator at the center. Lucas is leading the development of a strategic vision on how the center can use data to better serve students, faculty, and the UChicago community. He passionately believes that process and data must be informed by the people they serve.

Lucas formerly served as the center’s Director of Entrepreneurship Programs, in which he spearheaded programs that support venture creation and entrepreneurial education. Passionate about building human-centered entrepreneurial ecosystems, Lucas strives to foster environments where innovation thrives. Lucas is a graduate of the University of New Mexico and Harvard University. He aims to contribute to best practices around strategic innovation, startup acceleration, and entrepreneurial education across the higher education landscape.

Makaia Smith serves as the Assistant Director of Events at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She will be supporting the Education and Programs team with the planning and execution of a broad range of in-person and virtual events. Makaia will play a critical role in streamlining the events process as we continue to improve our operational efficiency.

Prior to joining the Polsky Center, Makaia was the Events Coordinator for the Kankakee Public Library and Spotlight Meetings and Events, Inc. In this role, she coordinated in-person and virtual community programs and events with 3,500+ attendees.

Makaia’s education background includes a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising and Design with a minor in Event Management from Central Michigan University.

Juliet Twomey is the Assistant Director of Student Programs at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She supports a variety of programs for students pursuing careers in private equity and venture capital.

Before joining the Polsky team, Juliet led student programming for the non-profit Effective Leadership Academy, encouraging students to develop strong leadership skills. She has engaged with various community organizations, such as Solidarity Bridge, a non-profit improving global health, and worked coordinating resources for students and families with Americorps in Dayton, Ohio. Juliet also has international experience working as an English Language Assistant for a K-12 school and supporting research of APSOCECAT, a non-profit for DeafBlind, both positions located in Barcelona, Spain. Juliet graduated from the University of Dayton with a bachelor’s degree in arts & sciences.

In her spare time, Juliet loves traveling, spending time outdoors, painting, and going to concerts.

Kate Turvy is the director, entrepreneurship programs at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, where she leads the strategic growth and execution of entrepreneurship initiatives for graduate and undergraduate students, including the New Venture Challenge suite of programs, educational workshops and events, and student mentorship opportunities.

Previously, Kate worked in the K-12 education space—first in school operations at Akili Academy of New Orleans, and later at the Chicago Public Education Fund (The Fund). At The Fund, she managed a portfolio of data and policy initiatives to advance school principal’s work across Chicago Public Schools. She helped facilitate several citywide working groups and committees, including the Education Transition Committee for Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2019.  Before her time in the education space, Kate competed as a professional tennis player on the international circuit.

Kate holds a BS in education and social policy from Northwestern University and is currently an MBA candidate at Chicago Booth, expecting to graduate in spring 2025.

Ellen Zatkowski serves as the director of science programs and student engagement at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She oversees a portfolio of programs supporting graduate and undergraduate students, postdocs, faculty, and researchers at the intersection of science, business, and entrepreneurship. This portfolio includes support for early-stage commercialization of research technologies through the Commercialization Fellowship, facilitating teambuilding between scientists and Chicago Booth students at the Collaboratorium, and exposure to investing in deep tech startups in the Innovation Fund Associates program. Ellen also serves as program director and instructor for the NSF-funded I-Corps program as part of the Great Lakes Region I-Corps Hub.

Prior to joining Polsky, Ellen managed the college success program for a Chicago non-profit serving students from low-income backgrounds. She got her start in entrepreneurship education at Babson College in Wellesley, MA, and loves to help students develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Ellen earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree in history from Boston College. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, hiking, exploring new bookstores and restaurants, and traveling with her family.