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Economic Impact Committee

The Economic Impact Committee (EIC) is focused on strengthening and supporting UMD's innovation, entrepreneurship, economic development and inclusive growth ecosystem.

Formed in 2017, the EIC convened quarterly meetings to bring together more than a dozen campus innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development directors to foster a more collaborative and integrated community.

Today, this inclusive group of more than fifty members includes stakeholders from across campus who are directly involved with leading and supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic impact initiatives, as well as providing support to students, faculty, alumni, and members of the broader community.

Members meet monthly to learn from each other, share updates on ongoing and upcoming activities, and hear from colleagues and community partners about initiatives that may benefit and enhance the campus and community's collective ecosystem building efforts.

The EIC is organized by the Office of Innovation.


The formation of the EIC has led to several positive outcomes including:

  • Creation of EIC Listserv
  • Creation of UMD Entrepreneurship Events Shared Calendar
  • Launch of the Innovation Gateway
  • Enhanced I&E Ecosystem as demonstrated by:
    • Greater Connectivity & Interactions across the ecosystem
    • More Collaborations between I&E Units
    • Hosting 2024 Deshpande Symposium
    • Stronger Sense of Community
    • Exchange of Best Practices

EIC Members

The EIC comprises of at least one representative from each of UMD's innovation and entrepreneurship programs and units, as well as several other colleagues who support or engage with the ecosystem.

Portrait of Phillip Alvarez

Phillip Alvarez

Associate Director, xFoundry
Portrait of Amir Ansari

Amir Ansari

Co-Founder and Inaugural Executive Director, xFoundry@UMD IDEA Factory
Portrait of Jordana Armstrong

Jordana Armstrong

Social Innovation Strategic Advisor, UM Ventures
Portrait of Kate Atchison

Kate Atchison

Associate Director, Iribe Initiative for Inclusion and Diversity in Computing
Portrait of Mira Azarm

Mira Azarm

Innovation Instigator & Learning Experience Catalyst, Academy for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Portrait of Rebecca Bellinger

Rebecca Bellinger

Executive Director, Center for Global Business
Portrait of William Bentley

William Bentley

Mtech Director, UMD Robert E. Fischell Distinguished Chair of Engineering and the Inaugural Director of the Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices
Portrait of Jordan Broutman

Jordan Broutman

Assistant Director of Corporate Relations, University of Maryland Institute for Health Computing (UM-IHC)
Portrait of Lora Brown

Lora Brown

Executive Director of Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Programs
Portrait of Lottie Byram

Lottie Byram

Assistant Director of Community Programs, Dingman Center
Portrait of Stephanie Cantor

Stephanie Cantor

Strategic Consultant, Center for Social Value Creation (CSVC)
Portrait of Jainaba Ceesay

Jainaba Ceesay

UMD I-Corps Instructor & Program Manager, Mtech
Portrait of Dean Chang

Dean Chang

Chief Innovation Officer and Associate Vice President for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Economic Development
Portrait of Scott Christensen

Scott Christensen

Manager, Mtech Ventures and Chesapeake Bay Seed Capital Fund (CBSCF)
Portrait of Rob Cohen

Rob Cohen

Program Manager, Mtech Ventures
Portrait of David Dahl

David Dahl

Associate Dean of Libraries, Digital Services and Technologies, UMD Libraries
Portrait of Josh Doying

Josh Doying

Startup Success Manager, UM Ventures - College Park
Portrait of Tina Edwards

Tina Edwards

Veterans Business Specialist, Mid-Atlantic Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC)
Portrait of Erica Estrada-Liou

Erica Estrada-Liou

Director, Academy for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Portrait of Nima Farshchi

Nima Farshchi

Director, Center for Social Value Creation (CSVC) & Executive Director of Office of Experiential Learning
Portrait of Sara Yousefnejad Gallagher

Sara Yousefnejad Gallagher

Associate Director, Do Good Institute
Portrait of Katlin Gray

Katlin Gray

Lecturer; Senior Program Manager, Do Good Institute
Portrait of Robert T. Grimm Jr.

Robert T. Grimm Jr.

Professor of the Practice; Levenson Family Chair in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership; Do Good Institute Director
Portrait of Sara Herald

Sara Herald

Director, Southern Management Leadership Program
Portrait of Christina Hnatov

Christina Hnatov

Learning Experience Catalyst, Academy for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Portrait of Michael Hoffmeyer

Michael Hoffmeyer

Managing Director, Dingman Center of Entrepreneurship
Portrait of Maria Johnson

Maria Johnson

Director of Corporate Partnership Development, Department of Computer Science and Program Director, Mokhtarzada Hatchery
Portrait of Ajitesh Kaladi

Ajitesh Kaladi

Co-Executive Director, Startup Shell
Portrait of Craig Kier

Craig Kier

Director, Arts For All, College of Arts and Humanities
Portrait of Piotr Kulczakowicz

Piotr Kulczakowicz

Director of Quantum Startup Foundry (QSF) at the University of Maryland (UMD)
Portrait of Dan Kunitz

Dan Kunitz

Mtech Ventures Director, Mid-Atlantic I-Corps Hub Director & Maryland Innovation Extension Director
Portrait of Christine Kunkel

Christine Kunkel

Director of Professional Programs, University of Maryland Alumni Association
Portrait of Feileen Li

Feileen Li

Co-Executive Director, Startup Shell
Portrait of Willow Lung-Amam

Willow Lung-Amam

Director of Community Development, National Center for Smart Growth; Director; Small Business Anti-Displacement Network; and Associate Professor
Portrait of Jacqueline Manger

Jacqueline Manger

Managing Director, Ed Snider Center for Enterprise and Markets
Portrait of Ben Margolis

Ben Margolis

Director, Maryland Energy Innovation Accelerator
Portrait of Alla McCoy

Alla McCoy

Director, Startup Support, UM Ventures - College Park
Portrait of Kisha McNeil

Kisha McNeil

Accelerator Manager, Do Good Institute
Portrait of Patrick Mendez, Ph.D.

Patrick Mendez, Ph.D.

Director of Capture Management
Portrait of Felicia Metz

Felicia Metz

Associate Director, UM Ventures - College Park
Portrait of Sarah Miller

Sarah Miller

Vice President of Economic Development, Terrapin Development Company/Margrave Strategies
Portrait of Nick Ocasio

Nick Ocasio

Community Manager, Academy for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Portrait of Alex Onufrak

Alex Onufrak

Associate Director of Technology Services, xFoundry@UMD
Portrait of Sammy Popat

Sammy Popat

Innovation & Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Catalyst
Portrait of Ken Porter

Ken Porter

Director, UM Ventures - College Park
Portrait of Allynn Powell

Allynn Powell

Director, University Career Center & The President's Promise
Portrait of Lindsay Ryan

Lindsay Ryan

Executive Director of Economic Development, USM
Portrait of Caitlin Rudy

Caitlin Rudy

Career Access Lead, Break Through Tech DC at UMD
Portrait of John Sawyer

John Sawyer

Interim Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance; Director, Strategic Research Initiatives
Portrait of Matt Scassero

Matt Scassero

Director of Operations and Outreach, University of Maryland Clark School of Engineering at the USMSM
Portrait of Jamie Shanker-Passero

Jamie Shanker-Passero

Program Manager, Small Business Anti-Displacement Network (SBAN)
Portrait of Brooke Smith

Brooke Smith

Assistant Program Director, Academy for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Portrait of Stan Smith

Stan Smith

Director of Venture Investments, UM Ventures and Dingman Center
Portrait of Sheila Somashekhar

Sheila Somashekhar

Director of the Purple Line Corridor Coalition
Portrait of David Steele

David Steele

Hub Coordinator, NSF I-Corps Mid-Atlantic Region & Program Manager, UMD I-Corps
Portrait of James Stillwell

James Stillwell

Faculty Director, Do Good Campus, DGI and Associate Clinical Professor
Portrait of Tsegahiwot 'Tsega' Tadesse

Tsegahiwot 'Tsega' Tadesse

Director of Venture Development, Dingman Center of Entrepreneurship
Portrait of Rohan Tikekar

Rohan Tikekar

Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
Portrait of Ken Ulman

Ken Ulman

President, Terrapin Development Company and UMD Chief Strategy Officer for Economic Development
Portrait of Eric D. Wachsman, Ph.D.

Eric D. Wachsman, Ph.D.

Director, Maryland Energy Innovation Institute; William L. Crentz Centennial Chair in Energy Research; Distinguished University Professor; Current Past-President, Electrochemical Society; National Academy of Inventors