What led you from researching the role antioxidants in the protection of the brain from Parkinson’s Disease to tech transfer?
When I started my Ph.D. journey, my goal was to work at a company and make products for the world. I didn’t know tech transfer existed and I was not interested in being a professor. During my post-doc in Boston, I attended several career panels for Ph.D.s to explore careers outside of academia and learned about intellectual property jobs, which led me to explore the field further. I remember buying the book “How to Patent It Yourself” to better understand what patents were about.

You started at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) Research Foundation (UWMRF) as a Technology Licensing Associate and now are the President. What motivated you to follow this path, and were there any career surprises along the way?
I immediately realized this was the job I had always wanted, just on the university side, versus what I first envisioned with industry. I still get to constantly learn about exciting new technologies and manage and shepherd them, but I don’t do the research myself. A surprise was that I do actually like teaching/lecturing after all, just not as my full time job.

What do you like most about working with inventors and other tech transfer professionals?
I get to stay up to speed on the latest technologies that aim to help mankind in some way. I could not have asked for a better group of colleagues and professionals in our industry, everyone is so willing to help, share best practices, and offer advice through our AUTM network.

As a participant in AUTM’s Mentorship Program as both a mentee, and now a mentor, how has mentoring affected your professional career?
Working in a small tech transfer office, there is a lack of people to get advice and learn from, so the mentor program was key to share notes and learn from external experts to ensure I was growing in my career. Giving back and helping other mentees now helps me to also pause and keep a pulse on the issues currently facing our industry and better guide my own staff on any topics that we could improve on.

What is your favorite way to relax?
Health and fitness are my obsession and I am into heavy weights, walking as much as I can, and using my infrared sauna regularly. We love to cook at home and have dinner parties with our best friends when we can. Otherwise I love hanging out and watching movies with my husband, two teenagers, and cuddling our two English mastiffs who think they are lap dogs.

What inspires you to stay motivated and keep driving innovation?
I keep a positive mindset and have confidence that in my time here, we will help get some of our exciting startups to the finish line. There is so much potential in Wisconsin, and people are finally starting to realize this. I want the UWMRF to be a key part of that growth. We will keep learning from all of our amazing AUTM colleagues about what is working and incorporate that in our region.

What initiatives or programs at the UWM Research Foundation are you particularly proud of?
I am proud of how we are in tune with the trends in our field and have set up several new programs in the past five years including: an express license for our startups, Panther Partnering to make sponsored research/industry licensing easy, the Bridge Grant gap fund for our startups, and we are working on a new venture fund. Our Catalyst Grant seed funding program has been instrumental in the past 18 years, yielding a more than 7.5-times return in follow on funding for the projects we have selected for funding.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I think I first wanted to be a dog, but perhaps that was a little younger than you mean! It was usually something science focused such as veterinarian, marine biologist, to animal scientist. I picked biology and eventually chose molecular and cell biology. At one point in my post-doc training I was getting a bit tired of bench work and literally looked up dog training courses, but luckily I persevered and ended up where I am today. I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to join the UWMRF back in 2009.