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The Honorable Maria Contreras‐Sweet Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration and member of President Obama’s Cabinet Oleg Asanbayev Primary Patent Examiner, United States Patent and Trademark Office Oleg Asanbayev is a Primary Patent Examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). He received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, San Diego. Prior to working at the USPTO, he worked as a Hardware Engineer at Kyocera Wirelesses, responsible for qualification and integration testing, redesigning of circuit cards and modules, and managed manufacturing of Machine to Machine (M2M) modules in China. As an Examiner at the USPTO, he attained a Master Level Rating in class 379 Telephony and served as a detailee at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). Mr. Asanbayev is currently detailing at the Small Business Administration (SBA), Office of Investment and Innovation, where he provides IP expertise to the SBIR/STTR programs and is working on implementing a quarterly IP Education webinar for the SBIR/STTR awardees. Mary Clague Program Director, SBIR National Institute of Standards and Technology Mary Clague is the SBIR Program Manager at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). She has worked in NIST’s Technology Partnerships Office since 2001 and has been with the SBIR Program for the past 12 years. Prior to working at NIST, she held corporate information positions with Lockheed Martin, COMSAT Corp., and CALCULON. Ms. Clague graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Technology Management. The Honorable Maria Contreras‐Sweet became the 24th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration and a member of President Obama’s Cabinet on April 7, 2014. Contreras‐Sweet is a successful entrepreneur, business executive, and state cabinet official. Throughout her career in the public and private sector, she has been a champion of diversity, access to capital and equal opportunity for all Americans. Prior to her arrival in Washington, Contreras‐Sweet founded the first Latino‐
formed commercial bank in California in more than 35 years. As the bank’s executive chairwoman, she focused on providing access to capital and counseling to small‐ and mid‐size businesses in Los Angeles. She previously started a venture capital firm that invested in small businesses. Contreras‐Sweet was the first Latina to hold a state cabinet post in California. As Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing, she managed 13 departments, including Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol, the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Financial Institutions. She managed a $14 billion budget and a workforce of more than 42,000 employees during her five‐year tenure. She led in the creation of the state’s Department of Managed Health Care and its Office of Patient Advocate and in the implementation of a $2.1 billion housing bond that stimulated the state’s economy. During California’s energy crisis, she chaired the finance committee of the state’s electrical power grid, CA‐ISO, helping to stabilize the state’s volatile energy market. Contreras‐
Sweet entered the private sector as the SPEAKER BIOS
evaluation/assessment, and broadening participation activities at the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships (IIP) for the past two years. IIP houses the NSF industry/ academe collaboration programs in addition to the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs. Ms. D’Ambrosio received a B.S. in Bioengineering from the University of Maryland‐College Park and an M.S. from the University of North Carolina‐Chapel Hill studying Marine Microbiology. Before coming to the NSF, she worked in outreach and program coordination at the American Council on Renewable Energy in Washington, D.C. Dr. Douglas Deason Director, Advanced Research, Missile Defense Agency Dr. Douglas Deason leads the Advanced Research Directorate at the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) with responsibility for the SBIR and STTR Programs, and University and international research, executing the agency’s vision for development of enhanced capabilities for the Ballistic Missile Defense System. During his career he has worked for small and large businesses, consulting firms, a research institution and the Department of Defense. He received an M.S. from the University of Florida and a Ph.D. from the University of California‐Berkeley. In 1999 he joined the Advanced Technology Directorate for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, eventually becoming its Deputy. In 2006 he joined the Missile Defense Agency as the Huntsville Lead for the Manufacturing and Producibility Directorate. In 2009 he assumed the role of SBIR/STTR Director. In 2011 he became the Director, Advanced Research. director of public affairs for Westinghouse’s 7‐
Up / RC Bottling Company. She rose to vice president and later became an equity partner in the company. Contreras‐Sweet was a founding director of The California Endowment, a multi‐
billion dollar philanthropic health foundation. She was appointed by the United States Senate to serve on the Federal Glass Ceiling Commission, created to help break down barriers between women and the executive suite. In 1989, Contreras‐Sweet founded Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization dedicated to encouraging Latinas to engage more fully in the democratic process. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Contreras‐Sweet is a first‐generation immigrant who came to America at age 5 with her mother and five siblings. She is married to Ray Sweet, and they have three children and a granddaughter. In nominating Contreras‐
Sweet to lead the SBA, President Obama said: “As Secretary of the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, Maria was the driving force behind major job creation and major public investments in infrastructure and in housing. As a consultant, she helped companies expand into the Latino market. She’s a champion of women‐owned and family‐owned businesses. And as someone who moved to California from Mexico as a young girl, and whose mother worked long hours to support Maria and her five siblings, she knows firsthand the challenges that working families and recent immigrants are facing.” Lindsay D’Ambrosio Science/Engineering Analyst, National Science Foundation Lindsay D’Ambrosio has helped lead communication, SPEAKER BIOS
Matthew J. Hawthorne Intellectual Property Clerk, University of Louisville Office of Technology Transfer Matthew J. Hawthorne, J.D., MBA, joined the University of Louisville (UofL) Office of Technology Transfer in May 2003 as an Intellectual Property Clerk while enrolled in the Brandeis School of Law. Upon successfully graduating law school in May 2005, he joined the OTT as a Contract and Compliance Specialist. He earned his MBA from the University of Louisville in 2011, and transitioned into a Technology Manager position. Since August of 2014, Matthew has been the Deputy Director of the Office of Industry Engagement, and is now primarily responsible for assisting in the development and maintenance of relationships with strategic partners in industry; is also responsible for operations management and coordination with UofL’s OTT; and also engages in agreement drafting and negotiation and assisting various offices of the EVPRI in assuring compliance with UofL's IP policy. Mahendra K. Jain, Ph.D. Senior Vice President KSTC and Executive Director KSEF Dr. Mahendra Jain is the founding Executive Director of the Kentucky Science and Engineering Foundation (KSEF) and Senior Vice President of the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (KSTC) in Lexington, Kentucky. In his present position, Dr. Jain is fostering partnerships between academic, industrial and state institutions in building and expanding Kentucky’s scientific and engineering capacity to attract external research funds from all sources, to help Scott Dockum Program Specialist SBIR/STTR USDA Scott Dockum is Program Coordinator for the USDA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. He brings biology and environmental sciences knowledge to SBIR as well as expertise in program management and development, policy development and implementation, government business processes and peer review practices. Mr. Dockum is responsible for the SBIR Program day to day operations and program development, policy development and implementation, understanding and developing SBIR government business processes, and outreach activities. Scott works directly with SBIR applicants and grantees. Lynn Garrison Technology Infusion Manager for SBIR/STTR Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA Lynn Garrison has worked at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for 30 years. She is currently the Marshall Space Flight Center Technology Infusion Manager for the SBIR and STTR Programs which help the agency meet federal research and development needs, and increase private‐sector commercialization of innovations derived from federal R&D. Ms. Garrison also serves as Marshall’s Small Business Technical Advisor. Lynn was previously the Resource Manager for the Propulsion Laboratory and the Materials and Processes Laboratory. Having attended both Auburn University and the University of Alabama in Huntsville, she has a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering. SPEAKER BIOS
advance research ideas and to build a pipeline of technologies. In addition, Mahendra has proactively pursued the growth of the Federal SBIR and STTR Programs in the state through outreach and state‐funded assistance programs, was the recipient of the Tibbetts Award in 2006, and currently also serves as the Science Director for Kentucky Space. Christopher O’Gwin Department of Energy SBIR/STTR Program Manager Chris O’Gwin serves as the Department of Energy (DOE) SBIR and STTR Commercialization Assistance and Outreach Program Manager. In this capacity, he provides the overall direction and leadership for implementing these programs at DOE and on matters concerning overall program operations and policy issues impacting both the SBIR and STTR Programs. Mr. O’Gwin has worked for the Department for many years, holding positions of leadership in both management and technical organizations. Chris earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Education and Economics from Longwood University and a Master of Science in Government from the Johns Hopkins University. Mitaire Ojaruega, Ph.D. Transformational and Applied Research Directorate, Department of Homeland Security, Domestic Nuclear Detection Office Dr. Mitaire Ojaruega serves as a Physical Scientist (Program Management) for the Transformational and Applied Research Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security’s Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DHS DNDO). In this role, he is responsible for both managing and providing programmatic support to multiple research portfolios (i.e. SNAR, ARI, SBIR) with the objective to develop radiation detectors to detect special nuclear material even when heavily shielded utilizing the capability of industry, national laboratories, and universities. Prior to joining the Department of Homeland Security, Dr. Ojaruega was an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science Policy Fellow in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy at the United States Department of Energy. Dr. Ojaruega has a Ph.D. in Applied Nuclear Physics from the University of Michigan. Peter Roohr, Ph.D. Science and Technology Manager for Fire and Weather Lighting Services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Dr. Peter Roohr is the Science and Technology Manager for Fire Weather and Lighting services at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). He coordinates the researchers from NOAA and other government agencies (such as NASA and the U.S. Forest Service), academia and private industry, to stay up‐to‐date on the latest lighting and fire weather gizmos. He also travels the country to build awareness of these technologies with users and developers around the country. Dr. Roohr grew up in Alexandria, VA, and obtained a B.A. degree in Environmental Science at the University of Virginia (minor in Astronomy), and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Atmospheric Science from Colorado State University. SPEAKER BIOS
positions of Vice President, Research, Development and Engineering, Europe; Vice President, New Product Commercialization and; Director of Product and Process Development. Additionally, Richard was the principal of RVS Pharmaceutical R&D Consulting providing product development expertise to clients ranging from start‐ups to established corporations. Over the course of his career, Richard has worked successfully along the entire product development continuum ‐ from basic/applied research to pre‐clinical efficacy methods development, business development; program management, product and process development, to executive management. Richard has a B.S in Biology from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. David Sikora SBIR/STTR Program Manager, Air Force David Sikora is the Program Manager for the Air Force SBIR and STTR Programs. He manages the budget for the program whose mission is to serve the technology needs of the Air Force warfighter by stimulating small business technology research while providing the government with cost‐effective technical and scientific solutions to challenging problems. Mr. Sikora previously served as the Air Force Technology Transfer Program Manager and has a wealth of experience leveraging industry, academia, and private sector research. Before entering government service, David worked as a design/project engineer in the paper machine and environmental equipment industries. He received his bachelor’s in Engineering Technology from the University of Dayton and his M.B.A. from Wright State University. Betty Royster SBIR/STTR Communications Specialist, National Institutes of Health Betty Royster is the Communications Specialist for the National Institutes of Health’s SBIR and STTR Programs. Ms. Royster helps develop, implement and evaluate the team’s digital outreach strategy and has expertise in web content development, social media outreach and digital marketing campaigns. Betty also has experience working on communications campaigns for other federal government agencies including CDC, EPA, and HUD. Betty graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with Honors in Public Policy. Richard Smerbeck Dawnbreaker Richard Smerbeck brings over 25 years of R&D experience in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries to Dawnbreaker. Over the course of his career, Richard has played key roles in the development and launch of more than 50 new products. These include Rx and OTC pharmaceutical products, contact lens care products, nutritional supplements and, skin care products. Additionally, he is an inventor on 25 patents. Richard has held a series of increasingly responsible positions at Warner Lambert, Schering Plough and finally at Bausch and Lomb where he retired as Vice President, Global Pharmaceutical Research and Development. In this role, Richard was responsible, at the corporate level, for the development and launch of all new pharmaceutical products. During his tenure at Bausch and Lomb, he has also held the SPEAKER BIOS
Systems Command, and the Office of Naval Research. While at the Navy, Mr. Williams conceptualized the Transition Assistance Program, an 11 month program to educate and assist Navy Phase II awardees in the technology transition process. Through his leadership, the Navy led the way in supporting the acquisition and transition of SBIR/STTR seeded technologies, awarding more Phase III contracts than the rest of the DOD combined. A member of the Senior Executive Service (SES), he has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland College Park, and a Masters in Engineering Management, Marketing of Technology from George Washington University. Bob Smith Director, Navy’s SBIR Programs Bob Smith is Director of the Navy’s SBIR Program. He manages activities designed to assist small businesses in getting their technology fully developed, tested, and inserted into products and services used by our naval warfighters. Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Smith was the Director of Disruptive Technologies in the Office of Naval Research. The mission of the Disruptive Technologies program is to provide game changing technical options for the future Navy. He was also the Program Manager for the Department of the Navy’s Rapid Innovation Fund which supports small business concerns rapidly inserting their technology solutions into acquisition programs of record. He was the recipient of the 2013 Oreta B. Stinson Advocacy Award (formerly Small Business Advocate Award), one of the annual Navy Acquisition Excellence Awards. John Williams Director of Innovation and Technology, SBA, Office of Investment and Innovation Programs John Williams is the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Director of Innovation and Technology for the Office of Investment and Innovation (OII). Mr. Williams is responsible for the Federal policy implementation and oversight of the SBIR and STTR programs across all participating agencies. Prior to joining the SBA in 2014, John served as the Director of the Navy SBIR and STTR programs. His career with the Navy spanned 27 years and included positions at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, the Naval Sea