Advisory Board - 2016
Mr. Jim Brasunas has 32 years of entrepreneurial, management, marketing and sales experience with technology-based companies. He has been involved with numerous start-up ventures, including telecommunications, IT, retail, manufacturing and a number of non-profit organizations. Since April of 2008 he has been the Director of ITEN, an incubator for technology start-ups in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. From 2003 to 2006, he was the President of the Technology Entrepreneur Center, a technology incubator in downtown St. Louis. He built TEC into a regional center for start up companies focused on information and communications technology. TEC continues as the parent organization of T-Rex. Mr. Brasunas holds a Bachelor of Science degree from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He pursued graduate studies in psychology and innovative management at the Institute for Comparative Studies, Gloucestershire, England.
Dr. Bruce Heiman’s education includes an A.B. in Psychology from Stanford, an M.S. from Stanford in Mechanical Engineering, Product Design, an M.B.A. from Universiteit Nijenrode, NL and a PhD from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business (Business and Public Policy). He has published in a substantial number of academic journals and conference proceedings as well as refereed books. Prof. Heiman's research explores international aspects of creativity and innovation. Within this realm, his interests include teaching design thinking in organizations and to leaders and teachers, transaction cost economics, and its application to international aspects of problem finding and solving in organizations. Classes taught include Innovation and Entrepreneurship (UCB), Doing Business in Europe, Global Strategic Management, Creativity Skills for Global Managers, International Business Environment Analysis (SFSU), Cross-cultural Creativity, Globalization and Business in the 21st Century, and Statistics & Finite Math for MBA Students (USF). He speaks English (native), Dutch (advanced) and French (elementary).
Dr. Moein Moghimi is a Professor and Chair of Pharmaceutics at the School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Health, Durham University, UK. He is also a Full Affiliate Member at the Department of Translational Imaging, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital Systems (Houston, Texas, USA) and Adjoint Professor at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado-Denver Medical Center (USA). Moein’s research activities are focused on pharmaceutical nanoscience, nanomedicine and nanosafety. Moein has been the recipient of numerous awards and has over 200 peer-reviewed publications, many patents and more than 12000 citations (Google Scholar). He functions as the Editor-in-Chief of Current Bionanotechnology (Bentham), Associate Editor for Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology (American Scientific Publishers) as well as Immunology Section Editor for Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. Dr. Moghimi studied biochemistry at the University of Manchester (UK) and in 1989 earned his PhD in biochemistry from Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School (Imperial College). He then completed a four-year SERC-funded post-doctoral training programme in Advanced Drug Delivery Research at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (University of Nottingham, UK).
Ms. Elizabeth Suárez is an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) & Leadership Strategist Communications expert. Elizabeth is an Adjunct Professor at University of Denver in the Field of Persuasion CommunicationA Puerto Rican native, but Cuban by descent, Elizabeth spent more than 20 years working inthe ranks of Corporate America, including Fortune 500 companies, and more than 15 years infusing leadership expertise into abroad range of organizations.Elizabeth is a highly regarded speaker, trainer, strategist, coach, mediator and facilitator in the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and leadership fields. She is passionate about helping professionals better understand how to manage disagreements,succeed in any negotiation and develop the necessary strategies and tactics forsuccess, while deploying ethical persuasion and inclusiveness skills. Her other accreditations include being acertified mediator from the Colorado Council of Mediators and the Colorado Bar Association, as well as a certified MBTI practitioner. Elizabeth has spent many memorable years mentoring Latina professionals acrossthe country. She has served on the board of Girls Inc. Metro Denver, Center forLatina Leadership, The Women’s College Leadership Council, Denver HispanicChamber of Commerce and PBS-KBDI, Channel 12. Elizabeth holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. She also completed the Executive Management Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and is a graduate of the prestigious National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI) program, as well as the Center for Creative Leadership and Leadership Denver. Her other accreditations include being a certified mediator from the Colorado Council of Mediators and the Colorado Bar Association, as well as a certified MBTI practitioner.
Mr. Bryan Thomas is a marketing executive that has built four successful marketing entities over his 35-year career. He has defined, nurtured and guided brands and marketing vision for various Fortune 500 companies as well as for small and mid-size organizations. He (and his firms) has received national recognition for his inventive and strategic work for a variety of clients. Through his consultancy, Concurrent CMO, Bryan currently serves a select group of clients in the health care, aviation, innovation processes, digital-marketing services and food-service industries. He has served on various boards for children’s rights, charity organizations and art institutes. He is the proud progenitor of five children and 7 grandchildren.
Dr. Sarah Clark is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Literacy Education and Leadership Programs in the School of Teacher Education and Leadership at Utah State University. Dr. Clark received her Ph.D. from Utah State University with an emphasis in Literacy Education and Teacher Preparation. She holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Language, Reading, and Culture from the University of Arizona. Dr. Clark spent over 25 years in the field of education as a classroom teacher, teacher trainer/coach, and as an author of educational books and curriculum resources before accepting a university faculty position. Dr. Clark’s research interests are in the areas of effective literacy education, teacher preparation, support and mentoring for novice teachers, professional development, and support for struggling readers. Her research methodology involves quantitative, qualitative, as well as mixed methods to explore instructional practices that enhance instruction. Dr. Clark is the recipient of multiple awards including the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers Jerry Johns Promising Researcher Award, the 2013 and 2014 School of Teacher Education and Leadership Teacher of the Year Award, and the 2014 Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services Teacher of the Year Award.