Meet the Team

Emanuele Colonnelli is the Joseph L. Gidwitz Professor of Finance and Entrepreneurship at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He serves as board member and Co-Chair of the Finance Sector at the Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), leads the Finance and Entrepreneurship Theme at the CEPR-FCDO’s PEDL initiative, co-directs the Becker Friedman Institute (BFI) LATAM, and he’s a Research Associate at NBER, CEPR, and BREAD. He is the founding Faculty Director of Undergraduate Studies in Entrepreneurship at The University of Chicago, the Founder and Director of the Chicago Booth Entrepreneurship Research Lab, and sits on the Advisory Board of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and on the Steering Committee of the Family Office Initiative. He is the recipient of a number of grants and awards, such as the 2023 Carlo Alberto Medal, a biennial prize given to the best Italian economist under 40, and the Poets & Quants 40 Under 40 Best MBA Professors.

Colonnelli’s research focuses on the intersection between finance, development, and political economy, with a special interest in high-growth entrepreneurship and the interaction between governments, firms, and investors. Specific interests include a range of topics such as venture capital and private equity, corporate governance, geopolitics, corruption, ESG, impact investing, public procurement, and corporate bankruptcy. He has research and work experience in several emerging economies, including Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and Vietnam and regularly conducts world-wide surveys and field experiments with entrepreneurs, firms, investors, and governments. His research has been published in various top academic journals, such as the American Economic Review, the Journal of Political Economy, the Review of Economic Studies, the Journal of Finance, and the Journal of Financial Economics.

Colonnelli joined Booth in 2018 as Assistant Professor of Finance, Liew Family Junior Faculty Fellow, and Fama Faculty Fellow, and from 2022 to 2024 he was Associate Professor of Finance and MV Advisors Faculty Fellow. He was also a Visiting Associate Professor of Business Administration in the Entrepreneurial Management Unit at Harvard Business School, where he taught the MBA elective on Entrepreneurial Finance. At Booth, he developed and teaches the first MBA class focused on venture capital and private equity in emerging markets.

Colonnelli holds a PhD in Economics from Stanford University, an MSc in Economics from Bocconi University, a BSc in Economics from the University of Siena, and he spent an academic year visiting Pembroke College, Oxford University.

Madhav Rajan is Dean of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and George Pratt Shultz Professor of Accounting. His primary area of research interest is the economics-based analysis of management accounting issues, especially as they relate to the choice of internal control and performance systems in firms. He has carried out analytical, empirical, and field-based research on the role of information in incentive contracting, the value of nonfinancial and subjective performance measures, and the structural properties and usefulness of common financial ratios.

Before joining Booth, Rajan spent 16 years on the faculty of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business where he was the Robert K. Jaedicke Professor of Accounting, with a courtesy appointment in the Law School. He served as senior associate dean for academic affairs from 2010-2016, overseeing the school’s MBA program. From 2002-2010, he was area coordinator for the accounting faculty group. Previously, he served on the faculty at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, from 1990-2001.

While at Stanford, Rajan received the Robert T. Davis Award for Lifetime Achievement and Service (2017), and the Notable Contribution to Management Accounting Literature Award (2004). He also was the recipient of the David W. Hauck Award for Outstanding Teaching at Wharton (2000) and the Alexander Henderson Award for Excellence in Economic Theory (1990).

Rajan has served as editor of The Accounting Review, as well as Associate Editor for both the Accounting and Operations areas for Management Science. He has twice been a plenary speaker at the AAA Management Accounting Conference. He is coauthor of Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis, whose 16th edition was published by Pearson Prentice Hall in January 2017. He is also coauthor of Managerial Accounting, whose first edition was published by Pearson in January 2013.

He is a Director of Cavium, Inc. and iShares, Inc. and a Trustee of the iShares Trust.

Rajan received his Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Madras, India, and an MS in Accounting, an MS in Industrial Administration, and a PhD in Accounting from Carnegie Mellon University.

Nadya Mason is the Vice President for Research and Robert J. Zimmer Professor of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago. She specializes in experimental studies of quantum materials, with a research focus on the electronic properties of nanoscale and correlated systems, such as nano-scale wires, atomically thin membranes, and nanostructured superconductors. Her research is relevant to applications involving nanoscale and quantum computing elements.

Before becoming dean of PME, Mason was the Rosalyn S. Yalow Professor of Physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she directed the Illinois Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and also served as founding director of the Illinois Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (I-MRSEC).

In addition to maintaining a rigorous research program and teaching, Mason works to increase diversity in the physical sciences, particularly through mentoring, and is former chair of the APS Committee on Minorities, where she helped initiate the “National Mentoring Community.” Mason can also be seen promoting science on local TV, at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, and in a TED talk on “Scientific Curiosity.”

Mason received her B.S. from Harvard University and her PhD from Stanford University, both in physics. Among her many honors, she is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been recognized for her work with awards, including the 2009 Denise Denton Emerging Leader Award, the 2012 APS Maria Goeppert Mayer Award, and the 2019 APS Bouchet Award.

Samir Mayekar is an accomplished leader with a track record of driving innovation and impact across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. He serves as the Managing Director of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago where he plays a pivotal role in advancing the University’s innovation, technology commercialization, entrepreneurship, and partnership priorities.  The Polsky Center has supported the creation of over 750 companies still operating today that have raised or exited over $10B.  Samir is also an adjunct faculty member who teaches graduate courses at the Chicago Booth School of Business and the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago.

Most recently, Samir was deputy mayor for the city of Chicago, where he focused on economic and neighborhood development. He managed nine city departments and sister agencies and a staff of over 3000.  Previously he served in the U.S. government where he was part of the White House’s national security team and on the executive staff at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.

Samir also cofounded and served as CEO of NanoGraf Corporation, a global manufacturer of advanced materials for the lithium-ion battery industry that has raised over $200 million in funding and was spun out of Argonne National Laboratory and Northwestern University. He holds a BA and MBA from Northwestern, where he served as a trustee, and he is active in the Chicago civic community, serving on the boards of the Commercial Club, Civic Federation, Lyric Opera, Ravinia Festival, Hubbard Street Dance, Third Coast Percussion, and Millennium Bank. He is a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and is an alumnus of the Marshall Memorial Fellowship and the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans.

Abigail Ingram is executive director of the Polsky Exchange, a 21,000-square-foot incubator space that leads the Polsky Center’s engagement with the South Side community through programs and initiatives that support local business owners and entrepreneurs. Prior to joining the Polsky Center, Abigail served as faculty at DePaul University’s Driehaus College of Business, teaching undergraduate and MBA courses related to entrepreneurship and business law.
Abigail also launched the Women in Entrepreneurship Institute (WEI) while at DePaul University and served as its inaugural director for three years. While at WEI, the nation’s first comprehensive institute for women founders, Abigail designed and proved a model that measurably increases economic empowerment for entrepreneurs.

An entrepreneur herself, Abigail launched her first venture, a music studio in Denver, Colorado, in 2009, and spent four years exploring sustainable business models for creative entrepreneurs. Abigail is a practicing attorney who founded and runs a boutique law firm that provides legal counsel to Illinois for-profit and not-for-profit entities.

Abigail earned her J.D. and an M.A. in English from DePaul University. She went to undergrad at Eastern Illinois University, where she also studied English.

Prior to joining the Polsky Center, Heather served as the Executive Director, Head of New Business Opportunities of the Rx+ Business Accelerator at Astellas. She led ideation and incubation activities, collaborating closely with colleagues across the company and with VC partners and other external collaborators. Prior to this role, she was the Executive Director of the MedTech Accelerator program at mHUB, where she was responsible for sourcing and evaluation, as well as program execution.

Heather joined Baxter in July 2017 as part of the central innovation team. She led technical assessment teams for due diligence of new opportunities for mergers and acquisitions and venture investment. Following that initial role, Heather was appointed the Director of External Innovation, where she led Baxter’s efforts to increase open innovation partnerships across universities, incubators and accelerators, medical centers, and other partners. She supported transformational innovation for all global business units and technology platforms. She then served as a Director for Medical Operations, where she was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the medical affairs and clinical development function, including grants programs, clinical contracting, and CRO management.

Prior to joining Baxter, Heather was the Assistant Director and Head of Business Development in the Technology Commercialization and Licensing group at the Polsky Center. She spent nine years developing, protecting, and licensing University-owned intellectual property. In addition to her technology portfolio, Heather supported efforts of the commercialization team to identify and manage high-value contacts, coordinating the University’s marketing strategy for the opportunity pipeline, representing the team at multiple partnering meetings, and launching a program to cultivate relationships with venture capital groups. She worked with the team to pilot and grow a proof-of-concept fund and launched several internship programs to leverage the talents of students and postdocs exploring alternative careers. Heather completed a PhD in Neurobiology, Pharmacology, and Cell Physiology at UChicago.

Crystal Camargo, PhD, serves as an Assistant Director for Science Programs at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this role, she supports a portfolio of science-focused programs and events—including I-Corps, the Collaboratorium, Innovation Fund Associates, the Commercialization Fellowship, Courses for Scientists, and Innovation Fellows—that empower students, postdocs, faculty, and researchers working at the intersection of science, business, and entrepreneurship.

Crystal has spent more than a decade helping students and faculty thrive in higher education. Her career has taken her through the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and the University of Denver, with each experience deepening her expertise and passion for learning. At UChicagoGRAD, she guided STEM master’s students as they mapped out their career paths, offering support that blended practical advice with big-picture vision. At Northwestern, she became a connector, supporting programs that brought together departments and communities, including the Center for Civic Engagement, the Bridge Scholars Program, and the Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities. She also stepped into the classroom, teaching undergraduates about film and media literacy, and later designing workshops that helped faculty explore the possibilities of AI in teaching. Today, at the Polsky Center, Crystal continues to bring curiosity, creativity, and collaboration to everything she does.

Crystal earned both her doctorate and master’s degrees in Communication and Media Studies from Northwestern University, along with graduate certificates in teaching and management. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies, Spanish Language & Literature, and Gender Studies from the University of Denver. Outside of work, she enjoys caring for houseplants, taking dance classes of all kinds, weightlifting, watching movies, and exploring new coffee shops in different neighborhoods.

Paul Cavalieri serves as the director, entrepreneurial coaching and engagement 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).

Ben Cox, PhD, serves as manager of intellectual property and technology development at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He manages a diverse intellectual property portfolio consisting of inventions related to physics, medical imaging, and devices. He has become a key leader for the ongoing development of our quantum sciences technology portfolio and has also made great progress on soliciting and developing medical device inventions from clinical researchers.

Ben has assisted with entrepreneurial programs across the Polsky Center, acting as a coach to early-stage startup companies through the completion of the programs. He also serves as a mentor through the Polsky Exchange, where he advises people from UChicago and the surrounding community on engineering design, fabrication techniques, and intellectual property.

Prior to joining Polsky, Ben was a postdoctoral fellow in the Medical Engineering Group at the Morgridge Institute for Research in Madison, WI, working on novel medical device development with campus area clinicians. During his postdoctoral fellowship, he also served as an associate lecturer in the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, teaching undergraduate design courses. He also volunteered on the board of directors for WiSolve Consulting Group, a non-profit business consulting group that trains STEM grad students in business consulting and entrepreneurship, serving a term as their director of operations.

Ben earned his PhD in medical physics from the University of Wisconsin, leveraging his engineering background to design and fabricate hardware for a variety of medical imaging applications. Before graduate school, he helped found a fabrication facility at the Morgridge Institute in Madison as a staff engineer. Additionally, he is an inventor of a novel nuclear medicine imaging phantom and co-founded a startup company to commercialize it. In his spare time, he enjoys learning how to cook new things and spending time with family and friends.

In his role, Jacob manages patent filing and prosecution for a diverse portfolio of inventions, including those related to chemistry and therapeutics. He also participates in faculty outreach efforts and in assessing new technologies from intellectual property and commercial potential perspectives.

Prior to joining the Polsky Center, Jacob was engaged as a Patent Agent at Haley Guiliano, LLP. His practice focused on preparing and prosecuting patent applications covering a range of life science-related technologies, as well as providing risk assessments for client assets. Jacob earned his PhD in organic chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles, where his research centered on the development of new synthetic methodologies and preparations of organometallic reagents, as well as the total synthesis of complex molecules.

In his spare time, Jacob enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.

Anna Dembo, PhD, serves as a manager, intellectual property and technology development, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She manages patent filings and prosecution for a diverse portfolio, including cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. Anna also participates in faculty outreach efforts and in assessing new technologies from intellectual property and commercial potential perspectives.

Prior to joining Polsky, Anna was a postdoctoral scholar in the laboratory of Dr. Geoffrey L. Greene, chair of the Ben May Department for Cancer Research at the University of Chicago. She also received her doctorate degree at the University of Chicago from the Committee on Cancer Biology. Anna’s research focused on preventing outgrowth of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

In her spare time, Anna enjoys traveling, cooking, and listening to podcasts.

Dev Gavaskar joins the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation as senior director of Venture Development, where he leads efforts to accelerate the commercialization of breakthrough technologies emerging from the University of Chicago’s research ecosystem. His focus spans the physical sciences and quantum portfolio, with a particular emphasis on sustainability, cleantech, and decarbonization.

Dev brings over two decades of experience in technology commercialization, venture capital, and business development. Most recently, he served as vice president of Business Development at Synata Bio, where he led commercial strategy and secured high-value licensing and revenue-generating deals in the clean technology space. His work at Synata also deepened his expertise in global market dynamics, especially in crafting growth and licensing strategies tailored to diverse international markets.

Prior to Synata, Dev was a partner at True North Venture Partners, an impact-focused venture fund investing in deeptech. There, he played a pivotal role in sourcing and evaluating early-stage investments in energy, water, and industrial innovation. Internationally recognized for his expertise in techno-economic evaluations, Dev has helped shape investment strategies and commercialization pathways for both emerging and scaled technologies across multiple sectors.

Kenneth Gayosa Onishi, PhD, serves as manager for business development and licensing at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Ken works with faculty in the Duchossois Family Institute to build partnerships with companies working in the microbiome and helps researchers transform their ideas and discoveries into licenses, products, services, and startups.

Prior to joining Polsky, Ken managed the chronobiology and neuroimmunology laboratory at the Institute for Mind and Biology. He earned his PhD in integrative neuroscience from the University of Chicago and his research focused on circadian rhythms and sex differences in biomedical research. While pursuing his doctoral degree, Ken performed due diligence as a George Schultz Innovation Fund Associate and screened novel University technologies for scientific merit, market size, and consumer adoption.

Ken is dedicated to commercializing microbiome-related technologies to improve health outcomes via therapeutics and diagnostics. In his spare time, Ken enjoys climbing, running outdoors, and experimenting in the kitchen.

Eric Ginsburg, PhD, serves as the senior director, intellectual property and technology development at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Eric’s team works with faculty and other researchers to move their discoveries and inventions towards the marketplace.

Prior to joining Polsky, Eric worked in research and development at Eastman Kodak and Abbott Laboratories, and was a postdoctoral researcher at the IBM Almaden Research Center.  

Eric earned a SB degree from MIT and a PhD from Caltech, both in Chemistry. His graduate work focused on the synthesis and characterization of soluble electrically conducting polymers. Eric is a registered patent agent and a certified licensing professional.  

In his spare time, Eric enjoys being somewhere like this or this as often as possible.

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.

Veronica Haywood-Ragland, DPT, PT, PhD, serves as a manager, intellectual property and technology development, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She manages patent filings and prosecution for a diverse portfolio from the Biological Sciences Division and works with faculty to develop intellectual property and commercial strategies to move faculty innovations from the bench to the market.

Prior to joining Polsky, Veronica was an Associate Technology Manager for the University of Illinois Chicago, where she was responsible for evaluating, managing, marketing, and licensing intellectual property assets from several departments in the Colleges of Medicine, Applied Health Sciences, Nursing, Public Health, Social Work, and Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Veronica trained in the Center for Tissue Regeneration and Wound Healing and earned her Ph.D. in Oral Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Veronica’s research focused on the molecular and glyco-biological changes associated with pathological wound healing. In addition to her Ph.D., Veronica also holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and a Bachelor of Science degree from Marquette University.

Veronica has over 10 years of clinical experience working in acute and critical care settings with specialty training in Wound Care, which she uses to support clinical and translational science and commercialization initiatives within the university setting. She is a current member of the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM), Women in Bio, and the Wound Healing Society. In her spare time, Veronica enjoys providing advisory and consultancy services to a diverse array of companies, serving on organizational committees, gardening, and traveling.

Mike Hinton, PhD, serves as a senior manager, technology marketing, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Mike’s responsibilities include sourcing industry partners for the commercialization of a diverse portfolio of University intellectual property. He also identifies and monitors market trends and supports optimization of strategies for introducing technologies into the competitive environment.

Mike holds a PhD in microbiology and immunology from Virginia Commonwealth University and conducted research on the hepatotoxic effects of anti-HIV therapeutics under a National Institute of Health fellowship. Prior to joining Polsky, Mike served on the board of directors of Colonial Scientific, a laboratory and medical supplier primarily serving the northeast region.  He also worked as a chemist for Chemtool Incorporated providing technically oriented project management and sales support.  He also volunteered as a technical consultant with the Chicago Inventors Organization working with early stage medical device companies addressing patentability and marketability of inventions.

In his spare time, Mike enjoys spending time with family, live music shows, and outdoor recreational activities.

Shyama Majumdar is the senior director of Science Accelerators and Investments at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this role, she oversees numerous entrepreneurial functions, including domain-specific accelerators in cleantech, data science & AI, and quantum, as well as gap funding mechanisms like the George Shultz Innovation Fund and entrepreneurial programs for students and faculty at the University. Shyama has a proven track record in facilitating the commercialization of early-stage technologies and launching ventures with external investor funding. She excels in building entrepreneurial programs, venture strategy, and fostering relationships with a variety of different stakeholders, including faculty members, VCs, industry executives, and students.

Previously at the Polsky Center, Shyama built and launched the Transform data science and AI accelerator in 2023. Collectively, Shyama has helped raise over $24 million in investor funding for the startups via the different programs she created. She is an advisory board member for 1871 AI Innovation Labs and Markison Patent Portal, and has been actively involved in various speaking and judging engagements within the science and technology community.

Before joining the Polsky Center, Shyama was a research assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), where she conducted prostate cancer research. At UIC, she also worked as a program coordinator at IllinoisVENTURES, overseeing the proof-of-concept fund for early-stage technologies developed at the university. Earlier, she served as a consulting program manager at EnterpriseWorks, helping to develop and manage their accelerator program.

In addition to her business acumen, Shyama brings over 10 years of experience as a cancer research scientist. Shyama earned a PhD in Biology and an MBA from the University of Delaware and conducted her postdoctoral research in cancer biology at Harvard Medical School and UIC.

Alyssa Master is the Director of Venture Development at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this role, she works closely with life sciences faculty to translate their research into high-impact ventures—providing guidance on startup development, commercialization strategy, and investor engagement.

Alyssa is an experienced biotech leader and strategist with a strong background in scaling early-stage companies and building robust, adaptable organizations. She has held pivotal roles in startups in cell therapy and biomaterials, where she helped grow teams, align cross-functional priorities, and lead strategic operations initiatives.
Prior to joining Polsky, Alyssa worked as an independent consultant, advising life sciences startups on operational planning, vendor selection, and go-to-market readiness. She thrives at the intersection of science, strategy, and execution, and is passionate about mentoring founders and cultivating resilient, mission-driven teams.

Alyssa earned her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and completed postdoctoral research in pharmacology and nanomedicine at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Emily J. McFadden, PhD, serves as manager of business development and licensing at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago.

Prior to joining Polsky, Emily worked at Cooley LLP as a United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) registered patent agent. While at Cooley, Emily reviewed freedom-to-operate and landscape analyses, performed due diligence as part of mergers and acquisitions, and completed patent drafting and prosecution.

Emily earned her PhD in Biochemistry from Duke University where she studied long non-coding RNA structure-function relationships in prostate cancer. While at Duke, Emily applied for and received a NIH T32 fellowship through the Center for Biomolecular and Tissue Engineering and completed an internship at BD Genomics in Research Triangle Park, NC as part of the fellowship. After her PhD, Emily completed post-doctoral training at Yale University where she studied ribosome biogenesis and ribosomopathies.

In her free time, Emily enjoys checking out parks and nature trails, finding new music and podcasts, and exploring Chicago.

Kelly McGuire is a mission-driven senior finance executive with more than 20 years of experience, she brings a strong record of profitability, sustainable growth, and team leadership across nonprofit organizations, political campaigns, and private industry. Her expertise includes strategic partnerships, process innovation, and developing human capital through identifying and leveraging individual strengths.

At the University of Chicago’s Development Innovation Lab, McGuire implemented a comprehensive project-based accounting system and led multi-year financial forecasting for complex, multi-source portfolios. Previously, she served as controller and deputy CFO for the Obama Presidential Re-Election Campaign, overseeing a $1.38 billion budget, and as CFO of a private K–12 school, where she achieved 100 percent budget accuracy on $30 million in operations and managed a $100 million endowment.

McGuire, a CPA, holds an MBA from DePaul University and a B.S. in accountancy with honors from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She has also taught finance, accounting, and entrepreneurship as a graduate-level adjunct professor.

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.

Harrison Paul, PhD, serves as an associate manager, technology marketing, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Harrison’s responsibilities include sourcing industry partners for the commercialization of a diverse portfolio of University intellectual property. He also identifies and monitors market trends and supports optimization of strategies for introducing technologies into the competitive environment.

Prior to joining Polsky, Harrison earned his PhD in molecular engineering from University of Chicago and conducted research on sustainable materials with enhanced transport properties for applications in water purification and biomedical devices. While pursuing his doctoral degree, Harrison performed due diligence as a George Schultz Innovation Fund Associate and screened novel University technologies for scientific merit, market size, and consumer adoption. He also co-founded Oleo Sponge, Inc. to commercialize an oil spill remediation technology from Argonne National Lab.

In his spare time, Harrison enjoys hiking, climbing, and playing tabletop RPGs.

Dr. Charlie Shaw assumes the role of Associate Director of Business Development and Licensing with a rich tapestry of experience and expertise. Driven by his passion for bridging the gap between academia and industry, Dr. Shaw held roles focused on technology commercialization. He previously worked as a technology licensing manager at prominent institutions such as the Moffitt Cancer Center, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Wake Forest Innovation.  Notably, he played a pivotal role in promoting commercial opportunities for innovations spanning oncology, medical devices, engineering, and nanotechnology, while also aiding multiple university start-ups and consulting for angel investment funds such as Resilient Ventures.

Following his tenure in commercialization licensing, Dr. Shaw worked with the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, where he managed partnerships and contracts, further broadening his expertise in the intersection of science, business, and law.

In addition to his professional pursuits, Dr. Shaw is deeply committed to community activism. He worked tirelessly to raise awareness of prostate cancer risk in Southside Chicago and promote STEM education in primary schools in NC. His involvement in various community organizations and initiatives, including National Urban League, MudPies Child Development Centers, Kappa League for young males and the Bethesda Center for the Homeless, reflects his dedication to social impact and diversity advocacy.

Dr. Shaw earned his BS from Davidson College, PhD from Duke University and gained post-doctoral experience within the University of Chicago.

Han Sun, PhD, CLP, is assistant director of Business Development and Licensing at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this role, Han works closely with innovators, research teams, and industry partners to facilitate strategic collaborations, licensing opportunities, and commercialization pathways that translate academic research into impactful products, services and ventures. Han is also the primary contact for technology commercialization initiatives at the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Han holds a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Medicine from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is a registered U.S. patent agent and a Certified Licensing Professional (CLP), bringing together deep scientific training and expertise in intellectual property and technology transfer. Han is committed to fostering innovation ecosystems where academic excellence and industry collaboration converge to drive licensing and commercialization.

Outside of work, she enjoys reading and gardening.

Shane Thomas Peace, PhD, is a manager, intellectual property and technology development, at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He manages patent filings and prosecution for a diverse set of faculty from the Biological Sciences Division and Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. In addition, Shane participates in faculty outreach efforts and in assessing new technologies from intellectual property and commercial potential perspectives.

Prior to joining Polsky, Shane was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Chicago’s Institute for Mind and Biology, where he researched the role of cortical feedback in the olfactory system during odor discrimination tasks using electrophysiological and optogenetic tools. Shane earned a PhD in neurobiology and behavior at Cornell University where he used a microelectrode array and optogenetics to study neural synchronization mechanisms that coordinate coherent oscillations in the olfactory bulb. Shane earned a BA in psychology from the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

In his free time, Shane enjoys low and slow barbeque, listening to the Mississippi delta blues, and spending time in the great outdoors.

Anna Wislocki, PhD, serves as the associate director of accelerators and investments at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She supports the quantum, clean tech and data and AI accelerator programs where she is responsible for managing a portfolio of new and existing programs, events, and scientific initiatives. Anna joins the team of individuals working on programs and partnerships at the intersection of deep tech and entrepreneurship.

Prior to joining Polsky, Anna was a lead researcher for a number of STEM projects focused on education, diversity, equity, and inclusion. She collaborated with both the University of Illinois at Chicago and Chicago Public Schools to build chemistry curriculum that helps students learn chemistry through building connections between the subject matter and their daily lives. Anna has experience working closely with faculty, researchers, graduate students, college students and high school students through her professional and academic work.

Anna holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She holds a master of science in chemistry from University of Illinois at Chicago and a bachelor of science in biology from University of St. Francis.

Anna is dedicated to fostering and engaging the community in science while facilitating a path of learning which generates and proves opportunity that will lead to the successful fulfilment of one’s professional goals in life. In her spare time, she enjoys camping, exercising and spending time with family and friends.