Staff

Members of the UIRP team at the 2022 Research Park Holiday Party.

The Research Park is managed by a tight-knit team that facilitates resources for tenants and cultivates community among employees. These University of Illinois professionals work on the continued development and growth of the companies within Research Park and the EnterpriseWorks incubator. Learn more about each member of the Research Park staff below. Not sure who to contact? Email [email protected] and we’ll be sure to route your question to the right person.

Laura Appenzeller oversees the University of Illinois Research Park operations and development, manages the entrepreneurship programs at EnterpriseWorks technology incubator, and supports the Universi ...
Executive Director at the University of Illinois Research Park and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Economic Development
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 implementat ...
Director of Entrepreneurship
Laura Weisskopf Bleill manages the community building portfolio of the Research Park at Illinois. She develops strategy behind the Research Park's events, programming, communications, branding and mar ...
Director, External Engagement
Roger oversees the financial aspects of our organization, including accounting, budgets, grant oversight, and contracts for EnterpriseWorks and UIRP LLC. Roger is a CPA with a background that include ...
Associate Director, Operations and Finance
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. ...
Associate Director, Operations
Sarah Doherty joined the EnterpriseWorks team as an Accounting Associate in July 2023, bringing 14 years of experience in accounting including government and real estate knowledge. Sarah completed h ...
Accounting Associate
Marketing and Communications Coordinator Email: [email protected] Abigale Racine joined the Research Park team in the role of the Marketing and Communications Coordinator in July 2023.  ...
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Sheri is often the first person people meet when they come to the Research Park, as you walk into EnterpriseWorks.  She also assists all staff, tenants, and student interns at EnterpriseWorks. She is ...
Administrative Aide
Jim manages the maintenance and operational functions of the EnterpriseWorks building and responds to tenant service needs. Jim Wells joined the EnterpriseWorks team as the Facility Manager in Oct ...
EnterpriseWorks Facility Manager
              Cathy coordinates a rigorous schedule of more than 200 events a year, focusing on the community building efforts of the Research P ...
Assistant Director of Programming
                Emily Neal officially joined the Research Park team as the Assistant Director of Talent in October 2021.  She leads wor ...
Assistant Director for Talent
                Desiree executes economic development projects and leads economic development research. Through collection and analysis ...
Program Coordinator
                Cheri provides program leadership, development, and execution for a portfolio of sponsored projects that provide support ...
Outreach Program Manager, Incubation and Entrepreneurship
Shelley Maves is the manager of the FAST Center at the University of Illinois Research Park.  She coordinates outreach, training, and individual assistance to entrepreneurs throughout the state of Il ...
FAST Center Manager
Joe Maduzia is the lab manager at EnterpriseWorks. His role includes oversight of the tenant labs (including the future LabWorks), the shared labs, and the MakerSpace. He is at EnterpriseWorks on a pa ...
Lab Manager