2024

Laura Bleill Director of External Engagement Email : lwbleill@illinois.edu  Phone: 217-244-7744 Laura Bleill manages the community building portfolio of the Research Park. She develops strategy behind the Research Park’s events, programming, communications, branding and marketing efforts; and directs its strategy to attract, grow, retain and train its workforce. Bleill engages with corporate partners large and small interested in embedding their organizations in the fabric of a world-renowned research institution which offers excellence at scale — research, talent, innovation. Bleill and the Research Park team work very intentionally to create a vibrant, dynamic community that drives innovation. An entrepreneur herself, Bleill is CEO and co-founder of a hyperlocal media company, chambanamoms.com. She is very active in the Champaign-Urbana community, and serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Experience Champaign-Urbana and the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois.  A native of the Chicago suburbs, she has a master’s and bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University.

Laura Appenzeller Executive Director and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Innovation Email: lfrerich@illinois.edu  Phone: 217-333-8323   Laura Appenzeller is the Executive Director of the University of Illinois Research Park and the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Innovation at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign supporting research commercialization and industry partnerships. The Research Park provides an on-campus vibrant business ecosystem that creates long-term value for the university’s intellectual assets, its students, participant companies, and the economy. The Research Park is located on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with mixed-use development of more than 800K square feet of constructed buildings, 120 companies (large corporations and startup companies), 2,000 employees including 700 students working year-round in internships. The Research Park hosts numerous programs and events to support its companies through collaboration, peer sharing, and technology programs to elevate skills and innovation outcomes. Corporate R&D centers at the Research Park include ADM, AGCO, Bayer, Caterpillar, John Deere, Mondelez, NVIDIA, State Farm, Synchrony and Yahoo as examples of industry leaders that Laura has developed through business attraction and corporate engagement. EnterpriseWorks incubator startup companies have raised more than $1.4 billion in venture capital and $200 million in SBIR/STTR awards since the incubator opened. Laura led the creation of the U.S. SBA Illinois FAST Center at EnterpriseWorks, which provides small business assistance across Illinois for SBIR and STTR programs. Laura is on the leadership team of the EDA iFAB Tech Hub, which was awarded $51 million for the growth of precision fermentation and bioprocessing in Central Illinois. Laura was the founding Chief Operating Officer of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, designed to support the full ecosystem of companies, researchers, suppliers, end users and other partners working to facilitate the development and commercialization of quantum technologies in Chicago. In her role with IQMP, she led site and infrastructure planning, financial and operational oversight, and real estate projects. Laura is active in numerous regional organizations including serving on the board of the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition; the board of the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation; the board of the Illinois Clean Energy and Resilience Fund; past board member of the Association of University Research Parks (AURP); and she is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago.

Gerald Wilson Director of Entrepreneurship Email : gwilson@illinois.edu  Phone: 217-300-5745 Dr. Gerald Wilson, inaugural Director of Entrepreneurship at EnterpriseWorks and the University of Illinois Research Park. In this role, he is responsible for the strategic development and implementation of a vision and infrastructure to establish and accelerate a cross-campus culture of entrepreneurship that spans research institutes, colleges, and departments. His focus includes anticipating mechanisms to secure and grow entrepreneurship programs and resources to assist ecosystem members with company creation, funding, management, and growth beyond the incubation phase. Dr. Wilson leads the staff in supporting entrepreneurship programming and business development of clients of the EnterpriseWorks incubator at the University of Illinois Research Park, which provides technology commercialization support for researchers and entrepreneurs, supports new venture creation, and catalyzes promising startup companies. Prior to joining the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dr. Wilson was President and CEO of Autonomic Materials, Inc. (AMI), an advanced materials company based in Champaign, IL. AMI commercialized technology developed at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science, and is a graduate of the EnterpriseWorks incubator. As CEO, he led the development of the company’s AMP-UPTM protective coatings product lines aimed at eliminating traditional tradeoffs between high performance corrosion protection and environmental responsibility. The company’s technology platform was recognized as the Materials Performance Corrosion Innovation of the Year by NACE International (now AMPP), the Worldwide Authority on corrosion and as a Solar Impulse Efficient Solution. For over two decades, Dr. Wilson has worked on developing new chemistries for self-healing coating, adhesive, sealant, composite, and biomedical applications. He has authored or co-authored over 70 peer-reviewed articles, conference proceedings and invited lectures in a variety of professional national and international forums and is an inventor on over 30 issued and pending patents. Dr. Wilson is also a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Technology Entrepreneur Center in the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a leadership coach and workshop facilitator for the Illinois Leadership Center. He earned a BA in Chemistry from Macalester College, a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering and an MBA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Dustin Mayfield-Jones Laboratory and Facilities Manager Email : dustinm2@illinois.edu Phone : 217-300-9601 Dustin Mayfield-Jones joined the team in May 2024 as the Laboratory and Facilities Manager at EnterpriseWorks. His role includes management of operational functions of the EnterpriseWorks technology and business incubator building, laboratory services, shared facilities, and MakerSpace. He is passionate about helping deep tech startup clients with their tenant service needs during critical periods of the incubation phase. Dustin is also responsible for safety and equipment operations and assists with general administration. Dustin is an alumnus of the University of Illinois and the Graduate College’s Illinois Distinguished Fellowship program. He was laboratory manager and safety officer of a former startup tenant at EnterpriseWorks and has more than 15 years of experience in scientific research. Dustin completed his master’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Missouri-Columbia after earning his bachelor’s degree in biology at Truman State University. Prior to joining the University of Illinois, Dustin actively participated in the Saint Louis maker and tech startup communities. Dustin was a member of The Maker Group, Arch Reactor, TechShop, and co-founder of HAB.education, a STEAM education organization that partnered internationally to teach and inspire children using high altitude balloons. His formative experience making, managing, and pitching tech with others in these communities via GatewayVMS, VentureCafe, and 3DayStartup continues to frame his philosophy of innovation and entrepreneurship and informs his understanding of client needs. Dustin enjoys spending time with his spouse breeding and showing Great Danes from 7Sisters farm with the Illini Great Dane Club, flying airplanes with EnginAires, technical scuba diving, and fundraising for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Cynthia Faullin Associate Director of Operations Email: cfaullin@illinois.eduPhone : 217-300-5803  Cynthia Faullin brings more than 10 years of intensive experience working with deep tech startups to her role as Associate Director of Operations at the EnterpriseWorks incubator in Research Park. She serves as the primary touchpoint for EnterpriseWorks tenants and affiliated entrepreneurs, ensuring that the facility meets the needs of its entrepreneurs and startups, both physical and programmatic. She is responsible for overseeing leasing and property management for the building and its grounds. Faullin first joined EnterpriseWorks in 2014. She is well known for her customer-centric, engaging approach to everyone from accomplished CEOs to the entrepreneurial curious alike. From 2021-23 Faullin was the Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Illinois-Chicago. There, she oversaw the Technology Innovation Lab which provides laboratory and office space to University of Illinois: Chicago early-stage startups as well as programming and consulting for entrepreneurs who are commercializing research-based technologies. Cynthia also has experience in commercial real estate and development in downtown Champaign. She previously worked on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in undergraduate academic affairs and career services. Cynthia is a proud Canadian, and has Bachelor degrees in English Literature and Women’s Studies from Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario.

Cathy McArthur Assistant Director of Programming Email:mcarthur@illinois.eduPhone : 217-637-0968  Cathy McArthur coordinates a rigorous schedule of more than 200 events a year, focusing on the community building efforts of the Research Park. Cathy joined the EnterpriseWorks team in November 2017, bringing almost 30 years of experience in event programming, planning and promotion. Previously, Cathy was the Director of Sales and Marketing at the iHotel & Conference Center in the Research Park, and served as the Director of the Workforce Development Board of East Central Illinois. She has lived in the community for over 40 years. She graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Business and has served on a number of local boards including the Crisis Nursery, C-U Schools Foundation, Champaign PTA Council and Champaign County Freedom Celebration. Cathy lives with her three children in Savoy and enjoys traveling, reading, photography and gourmet cooking.

Bryan Goode Talent Manager Email: bdgoode@illinois.eduPhone : 217-333-1452  Bryan Goode leads the workforce development and recruitment programs for Research Park and client companies. He oversees the coordinated recruitment activities of Research Park for student and full time talent which includes online promotion of positions, interfacing with job seekers, planning programming for recruitment events, and guiding talent strategy and development for the over 120 companies located in the Research Park. Bryan has been with the team two years and brings a strong background in professional recruitment in the private sector with a focus on technology and hiring strategy as well as a programmatic approach to talent development and pipelining. Complementing his recruiting background is a history of property management, and theatrical performance administration and direction. He is an avid tech enthusiast with a particular interest in how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are reshaping the future of work, an enthusiasm he actively brings to the companies and students he serves.