Thomas H. Zurbuchen

Associate Dean of Entrepreneurial Programs

Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Dean for Entrepreneurial Programs is also a professor of Space Science and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan (U-M) College of Engineering. He has been at the University of Michigan for over 10 years.

Zurbuchen holds a PhD in Astrophysics from the University of Bern, Switzerland and was a recipient of a Swiss National Science Foundation award before coming to the University of Michigan in 1998. Since then, he has received numerous awards, including the prestigious U.S. Presidential Early Career Award, which represents the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on scientists and engineers beginning their independent careers. A specialist in the robotic exploration of space, Zurbuchen served as team leader for the development of NASA’s Fast Imaging Plasma Spectrometer, an instrument aboard the Messenger spacecraft, which made its first Mercury flyby in 2008. Professor Zurbuchen is also part of several committees of the National Academy of Sciences and NASA.

Aileen Huang-Saad

Interim Executive Director & Associate Director for Academic Programs

Dr. Huang-Saad has developed and teaches several BME courses, including the department's first graduate design course. The course takes students through the innovation value chain by working with clinicians to develop innovative solutions to medical challenges. Student teams are responsible for designing and creating prototypes while developing commercialization plans. Dr. Huang-Saad is also the Assistant Director of Academic Programs in the U-M College of Engineering Center for Entrepreneurship, where she is responsible for managing the Program in Entrepreneurship, teaching the capstone Entrepreneurship Course, and developing new focus areas such as Social Entrepreneurship and a Master of Entrepreneurship. Dr. Huang-Saad also conducts research on innovative teaching methods and entrepreneurship.

David Thompson

Director of Development

David Thompson is the Director of Development for the Center for Entrepreneurship and Northeast Region.  With over ten years of international experience, he has served as Regional Director of Development for the Duke University School of Law in Latin America, Europe, New York, Texas, and San Francisco, as well as in London as an Equity and Debt Markets Associate with the global law firm Linklaters.  David also helped build, launch, and later direct the Congressional Hunger Center’s Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellows Program, and he holds a Juris Doctor and Master of Laws in International and Comparative Law from Duke Law School, as well as a Masters in International Relations from the University of Chicago.  He is a former Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar to the Middle East.

Amy Klinke

Assistant Director for Small Business Initiatives

Amy Klinke is the Associate Director of Corporate Relations. Focusing on small business initiatives, she splits her time between the Business Engagement Center and the Center for Entrepreneurship at the College of Engineering. Amy joined the University in October of 2008 after serving as the Director of Community Development for the City of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County. In addition to this role, Amy also worked directly for the Washtenaw County Administrator and Board of Commissioners, the Washtenaw Community Health Organization and the Mayor of Ann Arbor. Prior to moving to Ann Arbor in 2000, Amy conducted post graduate research in economic development in Zimbabwe. She received a B.A. in political economy from Hillsdale College and a master's degree in social work with a concentration in economic and social development from Washington University in 1998.

Jonathan Fay

Associate Director of Entrepreneurial Practice

For the past 11 years, Jonathan has been leading medical device research and development for several Silicon Valley startups and most recently as Vice President of R&D and Acting COO at EarLens Corporation.  Jonathan received his PhD in Biomechanics and MS in Aerospace Engineering from Stanford and his BS inAerospace Engineering from Notre Dame.

Anne Perigo

Associate Program Director, Master of Entrepreneurship Program

At the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, Anne managed the development and execution of a wide range of student programs, including the Michigan Business Challenge, the Dare to Dream Grant Program for Student Startups, the Marcel Gani internship program, and arranged for student participation in intercollegiate competitions, entrepreneurial conferences, and consultations with experienced entrepreneurs. Additionally, she held individual office hours with students to discuss business concepts, program issues, and entrepreneurial concerns. Prior to joining the Zell Lurie Institute, she held positions in education with Ann Arbor Public Schools, and in commercial lending with NBD Bank (now JPMorgan Chase). Anne has also accrued experience through volunteer work, including grant writing and coordinating special arts collaborations between Ann Arbor Public Schools, University of Michigan faculty, and local arts organizations. She holds a BBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

Norm Rapino

I-Corps Network Specialist

After obtaining a PhD in Chemistry and an MBA from the University of Toledo, Norm worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Biochemistry at the Medical College of Ohio at Toledo. Within 16 months he left to form a Real Estate Investment, Construction and Brokerage company, and this led to several decades of starting, operating and selling ventures in diverse fields He is also an active Angel Investor, belonging to several local Angel groups and the national Angel Capital Association. Currently he is a Mentor-in-Residence at the Office of Technology Transfer, and the Center for Entrepreneurship, both at the University of Michigan.

Amy Goldstein

Marketing & Communications Specialist

Amy Goldstein holds a B.A. in Economics and International Relations from Washington University in St. Louis. Before joining the CFE, first as Academic Programs Assistant and then as Marketing & Communications Specialist, Amy worked for Idealist.org in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Vodafone in Auckland, New Zealand.

Amy Bishop

Student Affairs Program Specialist

Amy Bishop comes to the Center for Entrepreneurship after fourteen and a half years in the Office of the Registrar at the Law School. During that period, she was the Assistant Registrar, the Student Services Grade and Examination Coordinator, and the Student Services Curriculum Coordinator. Prior to joining the Law School, she was the Educational Services Specialist at Washtenaw Community College. In addition, she is a military veteran (U.S. Navy). Amy has a B.S. in Marketing and a B.S. in Technical-Vocational Studies/Home Economics from the University of West Florida.

Martha Reck

Student Affairs Program Specialist

Martha Reck has worked in student services for over ten years. She spent the last eight years in the UM School of Kinesiology where she provided academic and career advising, managed their internship program, and coordinated new student orientation. Also, she has worked at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Eastern Michigan University. She has a BA in Human Resource Management from Michigan State University, an MA in College Student Personnel from Eastern Michigan University, and is currently beginning coursework for a doctorate in Educational Leadership at Eastern Michigan University.

Meredith VanKoevering

I-Corps Program Coordinator

Meredith VanKoevering holds a B.A. in Organizational Psychology from the University of Michigan. Before joining the CFE as the I-Corps Program Coordinator, Meredith worked for the University of Virginia and nonprofit organizations, focusing on program management and event planning.