Lepage Center announces 2020-21 Innovators-in-Residence

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Lepage Faculty Fellows Program
The new cohort of Lepage Center Innovators-in-Residence comprises 15 highly experienced executives, entrepreneurs and investors from across the country.

The Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Tulane University’s A. B. Freeman School of Business has announced its 2020-21 Innovators-in-Residence.

Launched in 2018, the Innovators-in-Residence program connects student startup founders with executives, investors and entrepreneurs for one-on-one coaching and mentoring. The 15 Innovators-in-Residence mentor the student founders based on their backgrounds and needs, serve as guest lecturers in the Student Venture Accelerator course and offer career advice during office hours.

The program complements existing Lepage Center efforts supporting entrepreneurship on the Tulane campus, including the Student Venture Accelerator course, which guides students from the idea phase through customer research, developing products and creating revenue models, and the Startup Incubator, which offers students workspace and services from partners such as HubSpot, Amazon, IBM Watson, Lucid, Stripe and law firm Stone Pigman.

“While in previous years the Innovators-in-Residence program emphasized in-person meetings, this year we’ve adapted it to meet the challenges of COVID-19,” says Lepage Center executive director Rob Lalka. “During the pandemic, we’re moving beyond the 'in-residence' aspect with great additions from all across the country, including not just entrepreneurs but also executives and investors who bring unique skills, experiences and networks that will benefit our students throughout the 2020-21 school year.”

“By opening up this effort and expanding to leaders from across the country, the Lepage Center has broadened the reach of the Freeman School during the pandemic, while giving our students access to mentorship opportunities with world-class innovators,” adds Freeman School Dean Ira Solomon. “These outstanding individuals mentor our students and support their entrepreneurial ambitions, bringing unique expertise and valuable perspectives that greatly enhance the educational experience.”

This year’s Innovators-in-Residence are:

  • Stacey Berger, executive vice president, Midland Loan Services/PNC Real Estate
  • Timothy Bovard, founder and CEO, Search Fund Accelerator
  • Jim Christian, entrepreneur and adviser, A. B. Freeman School of Business
  • Chris Damm, physician, Ochsner Medical Center
  • Brian Egwele, founder and managing partner, Egwele & Co.
  • John Elstrott, entrepreneur and emeritus executive director, Levy-Rosenblum Institute for Entrepreneurship
  • Alex Goryachev, senior director of innovation and strategy, Cisco Systems
  • Selina Ip, retired managing director, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
  • Mike Katz, managing director, Benson Capital Partners
  • David Olk, co-founder and board member, ShopKeep
  • Pradeep Ramamurthy, co-head of investor relations, OpenGate Capital
  • Jimmy Roussel, CEO, New Orleans Startup Fund
  • Stella Templo, associate general counsel for global litigation, We Co. (currently on leave)
  • Joe Truhe, partner, Jefferson Capital Partners
  • Aaron Walker, founder and CEO, Camelback Ventures

For more information about the Innovators-in-Residence program, visit http://lepage.tulane.edu or contact Ann Marshall Tilton at amtilton@tulane.edu or 504-865-5442.