About University Startups

Creating Opportunity

University Startups is committed to creating opportunities for students to discover pathways to higher education and better careers. The organization develops pathways to college and the workforce through access to college preparation, internships and new career opportunities. 

Supported by a leading team, partnering with nonprofits and foundations, and offering a virtually delivered hands-on program, we’re set on changing hearts and minds through the power of entrepreneurship. 

Leadership Team

Marc Steren

Co-Founder and Co-CEO

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John Jabara

Co-Founder and Co-CEO

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Laura Lee Williams

SVP of Corporate Development

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Tremain Davis

Chief Strategy Officer

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Khuram Zaman

Chief Technology Officer

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Katherine Zmoda

SVP of Operations

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Erica Beard

VP of Sales

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Le-Marie Thompson

Non-Profit Business Development

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Brooke Smith

Lead Curriculum Designer

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Tami Levey

VP of Customer Development

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Board of Advisors

Marla Beck

Co-Founder and former CEO, Blue Mercury

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Marla Beck is a serial entrepreneur, visionary consumer brand-builder, CEO and investor focused on mission-driven consumer brands. She co-founded and was the Chief Executive Officer of Bluemercury, Inc., a high-growth, disruptive omni-channel beauty retailer founded in 1999 and acquired in 2015 by Macy’s Inc. Ms. Beck also co-founded M-61 Laboratories, creating the clean, sustainable brands M-61 Skincare and Lune+Aster Cosmetics. Prior to founding Bluemercury, she was a consultant at McKinsey and Company. Ms. Beck enjoys advising and supporting entrepreneurs in the for-profit and social entrepreneurship sectors. Ms. Beck served at Harvard Business School as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence. Since 2014, she has served as a judge at Harvard Business School’s New Venture Competition. Ms. Beck serves on the Advisory Board of Harvard Business School’s Rock Center for Entrepreneurship and the Center for Public Leadership Advisory Board at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She serves on the Board of Directors of the National Retail Federation, the Global Advisory Board of EdX, is a trustee of the Sidwell Friends School and is an independent director on the Board of Directors of The Children’s Place (NASDAQ: PLCE). She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, an MPA from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and a BA in Political Economy with high honors from the University of California, Berkeley.
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Dan Cohen

Executive Director, Center for Entrepreneurship, Wake Forest University

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After a successful fifteen-year career as an entrepreneur that included founding, growing, and ultimately selling his startup, Dan Cohen transitioned to academia full time in 2005 when he accepted a faculty appointment at The University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business from 2005-2007. While at the University of Iowa, Cohen earned accolades for teaching, advising and mentoring excellence before moving on to Cornell University from 2007 to 2015. While at Cornell, Dr. Cohen taught courses on entrepreneurship and business at the undergraduate, graduate, and executive levels and founded and directed eLab — Cornell’s entrepreneurship accelerator program hailed by Forbes Magazine as a major driver of Cornell’s ascent to a #4 national ranking in entrepreneurship. Professor Cohen was also awarded Cornell’s Robert N. Stern Memorial Award for Mentoring Excellence in 2012. In 2015, Cohen moved on to Wake Forest University as a Full Professor of Practice in business and entrepreneurship. In 2016 Cohen co-founded Startup Lab and became more integrally involved in the Center for Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship. In the summer of 2017, Cohen was named the John C. Whitaker, Jr. Executive Director of the newly minted Center for Entrepreneurship while remaining a full Professor of Practice in Entrepreneurship. In terms of research, Professor Cohen studies how nascent entrepreneurs develop passion for entrepreneurship and how, and under what conditions, they form an entrepreneurial identity. Cohen also researches how entrepreneurs develop key capabilities such as how to spot and develop valuable opportunities.
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Byron Garrett

CEO, National Family Engagement Alliance

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Accomplished national education leader with strong track record of building organizations/programs and cultivating relationships. Adept at strategic alliance, partnership management and program execution. Led education-oriented corporate social responsibility efforts for Microsoft and served as the former CEO of the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Former policy advisor and strategist for state federal initiatives including The Helping America's Youth Initiative, Building A Grad Nation Summit for America's Promise Alliance, and NBC News' Education Nation. Also served as the National Program Leader for Youth Development for the USDA, overseeing all 90,000 4-HClubs. Internationally recognized speaker and author with a focus on leadership development and social emotional learning. Published by Scholastic.
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Jon Issacson

Chief Financial and Corporate Development Officer, Lefteris Acquisition Corp

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Jon Issacson has nearly two decades of experience working in the private equity and venture capital industries as both an investor and executive. From January 2019 to December 2019, Mr. Isaacson served as the Chief Financial Officer of Senseonics, Inc. (NYSE: SENS), a portfolio company of venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates, and provided advisory services to Senseionics from January 2020 to June 2020. Prior to joining Senseonics, he served as the Chief Financial Officer of Edelman Financial Services, LLC from November 2017 to December 2018. Before joining Edelman Financial Services, he served as a Managing Director for over 14 years at American Capital, Ltd from November 2002 to January 2017. Mr. Isaacson also held roles at Thayer Capital Partners, L.P., GTCR LLC, McKinsey & Company and Morgan Stanley & Co., LLC. He served as a director of ECA Medical Instruments, The Meadows and Alchemy Corporation from 2014 to 2016, where he served on the compensation and audit committees of each.
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Dr. Wina Low

Former State Director of Georgia Department of Education

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Dr. Low brings a remarkable 41 years of dedicated service to the state of Georgia. She served as the State Director of the Georgia Department of Education, Division for Special Education Supports and Services. Her extensive experience spans roles such as Program Manager Senior, where she has championed pivotal initiatives including the Teacher/Provider Retention Program, the CEEDAR project, and the Special Education Leadership Development Academy (SELDA). Her expertise in transition services, assistive technology, and professional learning has significantly advanced post-secondary outcomes for students with disabilities. Dr. Low’s career is decorated with prestigious accolades such as the G-CASE 2013 Lillie Moncus Award for Outstanding Special Education Administrator of the Year and the GAEL 2014 President's Professional of the Year Award. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Education from Brenau University, and both a Master of Education in Special Education - Learning Disabilities and an Education Specialist in Special Education Administration from the University of West Georgia.
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Melissa Potter

Vice President Strategy & Impact at Paramount, Board member National Jobs Corp

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Potter is a forerunner in creating meaningful social change through her expertise in spearheading social impact strategies and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. She has a proven track record with national non-profit organizations, as well as some of the world’s largest and most influential brands. Throughout her prestigious career, Potter has established herself as a respected, nationally known thought leader developing innovative ideas and creative solutions. Her current role as Vice President, Strategy and Impact at Paramount enables Potter to supervise each brand’s commitment to the long-term social impact of cultural shifts in society. With expertise including the issues of Race, Identity, Culture, Equity, and Social Justice, she is known for masterfully managing moments of crisis with her unflappable style. Additionally, she is responsible for spearheading the revolutionary MTV Entertainment Group Culture Orientation program in collaboration with the country’s leading racial and social justice organizations. This groundbreaking initiative unites shared values, increases understanding, and amplifies learning to empower the entire creative community to tell stories that reflect thediversity of Paramount viewers. A native of New York, Potter received her Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Northeastern University and Masters in Corporation Communication and Public Relations from New York University. She serves as Chair of the Board for the National Job Corps Association and is Chair of the Board of Directors of Fostering Change for Children. She was awarded "Change Agent of the Year” in 2018 from the Digital Diversity Network, is a Webby Anthem Awards juror and a Diversity Committee Member for Transform Films. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
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Ravi Puli

President and CEO intl Solutions, connections to India ecosystem

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Ravi Puli is a self-made, first-generation entrepreneur and the Founder, President, and CEO of International Solutions Group, (ISG) an award-winning technology services firm, Ravi has over 30 years of experience in the tech space. Ravi is passionate about seeking resources and opportunities to empower businesses and individuals in reaching their full potential. Born in India, Ravi embarked on his journey as a first generation immigrant with a deep desire to make a difference. Fuelled by hard work and determination, he is a serial entrepreneur, has played a pivotal role in helping businesses flourish, as evidenced by the heartfelt testimonials from satisfied customers. At ISG, Ravi leads a dedicated team of professionals who share his vision of creating value for clients through innovation and hard work. The growth structure at ISG ensures that employees have ample opportunities to develop and enhance their skills, contributing to their professional growth. However, Ravi's commitment to philanthropy extends far beyond his business ventures. He strongly believes in supporting social and humanitarian causes and actively participates in initiatives that bring about positive change in society. Ravi is particularly passionate about empowering start-ups in the fields of education and healthcare, as he recognizes their potential to drive meaningful and lasting transformation.
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Bobby Tahir

CTO, Hobsons

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Bobby Tahir, Chief Technology Officer, leads Hobsons long-term technology vision, and is responsible for the Hobsons technology organization spanning Software Engineering, Cloud Operations, Data Science & Analytics, and Enterprise IT. He also facilitates the technical community within Hobsons. Prior to joining Hobsons in 2018, Bobby served as CTO of the K12 Division of Community Brands, a leading provider of software solutions to the Private School market, where he helped the company to integrate and bring to market a number of significant software services. Previously, Bobby was Vice President of Engineering at Diamond Mind, where he focused on development of PCI-compliant payment processing and reconciliation systems and mobile-enabled payment solutions. Bobby joined Diamond Mind from Envictus, a pioneer in the EdTech market, where as CTO he focused on development of college readiness and financial aid platforms and K12 learning management systems. In addition, Bobby served as a Consultant with Nortel Networks Global Professional Services Group working with Fortune 500 organizations focused on the Internet Service Provider (ISP) market. Bobby has a B.S. in Physics from Virginia Tech.
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Chris Zahumensky

Former VP Sales, Hobsons

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Proven EdTech sales leader with a track-record of delivering consistent & transformative SaaS growth built behind high-performing teams, repeatable GTM processes, and strong culture. Skilled at managing remote/virtual sales teams with expertise in managing complex sales cycles. Deep domain experience throughout Higher Education & K-12. Skilled at integration of acquired organizations. Grounded in transparent leadership led with Purpose, Awareness, Determination and Trust.
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The story behind “University Startups”

In the early days of the pandemic, our founders, both academics and entrepreneurs, created an online course for high school students on how to launch a social impact venture. Utilizing proprietary online resources while students were at home, they were able to teach students and provide a different style of learning with access to top tier professors.

The initial course was a success, not only igniting an entrepreneurship flame in many participants, but several of the students went on to elite colleges in an entrepreneurship-related career path.

As the company grew, they connected with a foundation looking for ways to reach under-resourced high school students and they knew this program was exactly what was needed. A connection between teaching, the style of learning, the lived experience of building a business and the desired result - leading to increase in college admittance. 

And that’s how University Startups was born. 

Building off that first idea, University Startups provides a transformational learning process that creates pathways for success, in school and beyond. The program opens doors to college preparation, internships and new career opportunities.

Featuring Professors From Top Tier Business Schools

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