Texas Tech University

Innovation Hub

Our Mentors

Our Mentors

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Innovate Texas Tech Mentor Program (iTTU) serves as the cornerstone of entrepreneurship and innovation at the Hub. Mentors are chosen for their experience, investment and technical know-how, authority and resources to aid in the launch of new enterprises, and willingness to support the west Texas entrepreneurial eco-system.

All TTUS mentors are available for office hours. Meet with some of the most innovative, creative and seasoned experts in the venture space. In these one-on-one meetings, angel and venture investors, leaders of manufacturer companies, attorneys, accountants, technology experts, physicians, scientists and serial entrepreneurs share their insight, experience and advice to help you take your startup to launch. We follow the MIT Venture Mentoring Service (VMS) methodology.

 

Igor Alvarado

  • Embedded & Control systems engineering
  • Cyber-Physical Systems Design
  • Wireless Communications & Networking Systems

Duke Appiah

  • Health Data Analytics
  • Research Design

Nick Bergfeld

  • Growth Strategy
  • Fundraising

Andrew Blake

  • Strategic Leadership
  • Entrepreneur Resource Mobilization

Gipsy Bocanegra

  • Healthcare Informatics
  • Data Management
  • Research

Jonathan Bray

  • Accounting/Finance/Financial Modeling
  • VC/Angel Funding
  • Operations

Merritt Brockman

  • Medical Record Management
  • Public Relations, Speaking & Presentations
  • Supply Chain and Logistics

Lloyd Caballero

  • Advertising/Marketing
  • Packaging
  • Media & PR

Ron Cocquyt

  • Business Coaching
  • Entrepreneur
  • Inventor

Tim Dallas

  • Curriculum Development & Instruction
  • Technology Development & Commercialization

Keith Davidson

  • Financial Services
  • Leadership
  • Accounting

Doug Deaton

  • Growth Strategy
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Leadership

Rachel Deaton

  • Business Development
  • Strategy
  • Fundraising

Cody Dieterich

  • Revenue Strategy
  • Product Development
  • Customer Retention/Management

John Duffy

  • Finance
  • Telecommunications and Payments

Chuck Edwards

  • Business Development
  • Small Business Operations
  • Strategic Planning

Priya Gill

  • Business Plan Preparation
  • Valuation, financial documents
  • Costing and cost analysis

Lekha Gopalakrishnan

  • Intellectual Property
  • Patents
  • Trademarks & Copyrights

Daniel Green

  • Ethics
  • Data Analytics
  • Public Relations

Rachel Greene

  • Intellectual Property Strategy
  • Agreement Negotiation
  • Technology Development

Richard Greenhill

  • Healthcare Quality
  • Healthcare Management

Darrell Guthrie

  • Organizational Structure
  • Business Finance

Taha Habib

  • Entrepreneurship
  • Startups
  • Leadership

Diana Hechavarria

  • Early-stage startups
  • Entrepreneurial dynamics

Stephen High

  • Profitability
  • Strategy
  • Digital Business

Steph Hoelscher

  • Healthcare Informatics
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Digital Health Technology

Mike Jones

  • Software Development
  • Data Analytics
  • Data Management Systems

Netaji Khot

  • International Business Development
  • Product design and development
  • Business planning and strategy

Todd Knowlton

  • IT
  • Operations/HR
  • Marketing/Finances

Ray Laurent

  • Business Planning
  • Financial Analysis
  • International Trade

Sarah Llamas

  • Health Tech and Telemedicine
  • HIPAA Privacy and Security
  • Contracting/Other Legal

Jonathan Looney

  • Product Design/Strategy
  • App Development
  • Blockchain and DLT

Joseph Lopez

  • Sales & Marketing
  • Business Development
  • Early Stage Success Planning

Alejandra Marin

  • Marketing Strategy
  • Marketing Research
  • Strategic Planning

Greg Mason

  • Executive Leadership
  • Healthcare
  • Community Entrepreneurship

Glenda Mathis

  • Social Innovation
  • Leadership
  • Community Entrepreneurship

Wayne Moore

  • Leadership Development
  • Team Building
  • Employee Engagement

Mark Murdock

  • Product Development
  • Higher Education
  • Manufacturing/licensing

Chase Murphy

  • Strategic tax planning and transaction considerations
  • Entity restructuring and exit planning for owners
  • Capital raising for venture backed businesses

Jeff Mustin

  • Strategy
  • Law
  • Policy

Jay Nadkarni

  • Business Development & Licensing
  • New Product Commercialization
  • International Market Development
  • Due Diligence for Start-ups, Accelerator companies and Academia

Mark Nair

  • Technology/Coding
  • Technology Property
  • Marketing & Retail

Atul Parvatiyar

  • Business Strategy
  • Sales and Marketing
  • Supply Chain Management

Marcus Pauda

  • Consulting
  • Business Development
  • Creative Services

Mason Pellegrini

  • Pitching
  • Business Writing
  • Slide Design

Oleg Petrenko

  • Strategic Management
  • Business planning and strategy

Phil Philbin

  • Patent Litigation
  • Intellectual Property
  • Technology

Anthony Presley

  • Development
  • Marketing
  • Leadership Development

Courtney Queen

  • Leadership
  • Research
  • Technology Development

Ryan Reber

  • Do's & Don'ts of early stage company formation
  • IP/Tech transfer
  • Sales

Robert Robinson

  • Accounting
  • Finance
  • Public Speaking

Mike Ryan

  • Higher Education
  • Product Innovation/Product Management
  • IT

Sandra Ryan

  • Higher Education
  • Website/IT Operations

Carrie Shaver

  • Health Management
  • Rural Health

Tracy Shea

  • Business Planning & Plan Preparation
  • Sales & Marketing
  • Finding Product/Market Fit

Sarah Simpson

  • Trademark Law
  • Patent Law
  • Business Entity Law

Phil Sizer

  • Customer Development
  • Innovation Development & Commercialization
  • Team Building and Growth

John Smothers

  • Product Development
  • Start-up, NBIA Management Certification
  • Management (CEO)

Kevin Soules

  • Patent Law
  • Intellectual Property
  • Licensing

Jennifer Souter

  • Business Development
  • Intellectual Property Management
  • Technology Commercialization

Cele Stone

  • Public Relations
  • Leadership
  • Branding

Evan Stone

  • Innovation Strategies
  • Business Development
  • Operations
  • Finance

Janak Sunuwar

  • Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning
  • Data Science, Genomics, and Bioinformatics

Arun Swaminathan

  • Marketing & Sales Strategy
  • Marketing-Finance Interface
  • Multilevel Modeling

Tami Swoboda

  • Grants and Scholarships
  • Strategic Planning
  • Fundraising

Gerad Troutman

  • Leadership
  • Networking / Relationship Building
  • Organizational Development

Gilbert Valdez

  • Regulatory Compliance
  • On-Site Field Inspections
  • Federal and State Registration and Licensing

Kim Walker

  • Business Strategy
  • Arts Management

Steve Warren

  • Social Innovation
  • Management/Leadership
  • Philanthropy
  • Nonprofit Sector

Mike White

  • Accounting
  • Finance
  • Small Business CFO

Preston Wickersham

  • Marketing
  • Growth Strategy
  • Communications

Amy Wood

  • Content Development, Design, & Delivery
  • Marketing & Global Branding
  • Website, App Development

Lena Zappia

  • SBIR Grant Writing
  • Product Commercialization
  • Market Analytics