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Board of Directors and Key Staff
Board of Directors:
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Kay Koplovitz |
Pamela Contag |
Lauren Flanagan |
Calvin L. Hackeman |
Ellen Hancock |
Key Staff:
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| Amy Millman | Joshua Henderson | Katie Gage | Jeanine Hall | Alissa Hall Perine | Tramaine Brathwaite |
Kay Koplovitz
Chairman, Springboard Enterprises
Founder, USA Networks
Chairman of the Board, Liz Claiborne Inc.
Chairman and CEO, Koplovitz & Company
Board Member, CA Technologies
Author and Entrepreneur
Kay Koplovitz is the founder of USA Network and the first woman network president in television history. She is the author of Bold Women, Big Ideas, which she wrote to inform and inspire women entrepreneurs to create wealth through equity.
In 2000, Kay co-created Springboard Enterprises, a national organization that fosters venture capital investments in women-led high growth companies. Companies selected and presented by Springboard Enterprises have raised over $5.5 Billion and have had positive liquidity events for investors, including IPOs. Kay counts among her accomplishments the Presidential appointment as Chair of National Women’s Business Council (1998-2001). She is the recipient of numerous awards and inductions for her leadership accomplishments in the areas of Media and Entrepreneurship.
Kay presently serves as Chairman and CEO of Koplovitz & Company. She also serves as Chairman of the Board, Fifth & Pacific Cos.(formerly Liz Claiborne Inc.) and as a board member of CA Technologies and a board member of ION Media. She serves as trustee of The Paley Center for Media as well The University of Wisconsin-Madison, College of Letters & Science. She holds a master’s degree in Communications from Michigan State University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin as well as honorary doctorate degrees from Emerson College, St. John’s University, Michigan State University and Canasius College.
Dr. Pamela Reilly Contag
CEO of Cygnet Biofuels
Pamela R. Contag, Ph.D., is currently the CEO of Cygnet Biofuels. Pam founded four venture-backed start-up companies; Xenogen Corporation was listed as one of the “Top 25 Young Businesses” by Fortune Small Business and in both 2001 and 2003 received the R&D 100 award for achievements in Physics. Xenogen Corp. completed a public offering in 2004 and was subsequently acquired by Caliper Life Sciences; Cobalt Technologies, was named multiple times as a Top 20 Company in Cleantech, as is now in product demonstration; Cygnet Biofuels, is a company that consults and develops platforms in biomass and biofuels; and ConcentRx, is a novel therapeutic for oncology indications. Pam was named one of the “Top 25 Women in Small Business” by Fortune magazine. In 2011, Pam joined the Founding Board of the Startup America Partnership an organization envisioned by the Case and Kauffman Foundation and The White House to identify, encourage and celebrate all entrepreneurs.
Pam has held various consulting and board positions, public, private and not-for-profit. Those positions include a consulting Professorship at Stanford School of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics (1999-present), the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (1999-2005). Pam was a Director of Xenogen Corporation (Nasdaq) (1995-2005) and was CEO and Chairman of Cobalt Technologies (2005-2008) and a Delcath (Nasdaq) Board Member (2008-2011). She also joined in 2009 the DOE Biomass technology Advisory Committee and two nonprofit boards, Springboard Enterprises, an accelerator of women entrepreneurs and the VTT-MSI Center for Bioengineering. In 2010 Pam joined the Merrick Engineering Consultancy specializing in the energy field.
With more than 25 years of microbiology research experience, Pam is widely published in the field of Microbiology and Optical imaging and has over 36 patents and patent applications. Dr. Contag received her Ph.D. in Microbiology at the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1989 and completed her Postdoctoral Training at Stanford University School of Medicine in 1993 specializing in “Host/Pathogen Interactions”.
Lauren Flanagan
Managing Director, BELLE Capital USA, LP & Phenomenelle Angels Fund LP
CEO, SCIO Corp
Lauren is Managing Director of BELLE Capital USA, LP, an early stage venture fund that invests in high growth tech companies in underserved capital markets around the US. She is also a Managing Director of the Phenomenelle Angels Fund, and chief executive officer of strategic advisory firm, SCIO Corp. Lauren has more than 25 years experience in founding and operating technology companies, and has invested in 32 companies in the past 8 years. Before founding SCIO Corp, Lauren co-founded WebWare Corporation, a leader in digital asset management, and served as WebWare's chairman and chief executive officer for 7 years. WebWare, one of the first Software as a Service (SaaS) companies, was acquired by a publicly traded company in 2003. Prior to WebWare, Lauren co-founded 4 technology companies and consulted for high technology leaders including Apple, Atari, HP, IBM, Microsoft, NeXT, Texas Instruments and Xerox. A Springboard finalist in January 2000, Lauren received Trailblazer Awards in 2000 and 2001 from the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs. She was also awarded IT Software CEO of the Year for 2002 by Frost and Sullivan. BusinessWeek selected her as one of the Top 25 Angels in Tech in 2010. Springboard Enterprises recognized her with their Northstar award in 2011. Lauren is executive chairman at Current Motor Company, chairman of the board at HarQen Inc., and serves on the board of directors of Springboard Enterprises, on Dell’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence Advisory Board, on the Angel Capital Association's collaboration committee and is an active investor on Angel List.
Calvin L. Hackeman
Corporate Director and Advisor
Cal retired from Grant Thornton LLP as of January 31, 2012, after more than 36 years with the firm. He most recently served as National Managing Partner of the Technology Industry Practice at Grant Thornton LLP, the US member firm of Grant Thornton International, one of the six global audit, tax and advisory organizations. Grant Thornton is a dynamic organization focused on serving public and private dynamic, growing organizations in our chosen markets.
Cal’s leadership at Grant Thornton has also included a career-long commitment to community leadership. Cal serves on the Board of Directors and as Treasurer of Springboard Enterprises. In the past, Cal has served on the Commercial Policy Board of Directors of TechAmerica and on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Technology Association (NCTA), Mid-Atlantic Venture Association, the Northern Virginia Minority Business Association, the Professional Services Council, the Reston Board of Commerce, the Prince William County-Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Jaycees and the Greater Manassas Jaycees. He is a past president of the Reston Board of Commerce, the Prince William County-Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Manassas Jaycees. He also served as an appointed member of the Manassas, Virginia Downtown Revitalization Committee and the Manassas, Virginia Business Council. He has been active in numerous local and national civic and charitable organizations.
Ellen Hancock
Former President of Jazz Technologies, Inc.
Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Exodus Communications, Inc
Ellen M. Hancock served as the President of Jazz Technologies, Inc and President and Chief Operating Officer of its predecessor Acquicor Technology Inc from August 2005 to June 2007. Prior to its merger with Jazz Semiconductor Inc., a wafer foundry, in February 2007, Jazz Technologies (then known as Acquicor) was a blank check company formed for the purpose of acquiring businesses in the technology, multimedia and networking sector.
Ellen M. Hancock is the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Exodus Communications, a leader in complex Internet hosting and managed services. She joined Exodus in March 1998 and served as chairman from June 2000 to September 2001, Chief Executive Officer from September 1998 to September 2001 and president from March 1998 to June 2000.
Hancock was with IBM for 29 years, serving in various staff and line executive positions. She was appointed an IBM Vice President in 1985 and Senior Vice President in 1992. Her last position was as Senior Vice President and group executive, responsible for the networking hardware division, the networking software division, and the software solutions division. She was also a member of the IBM Corporate Executive committee and the IBM Worldwide Management Council.
Following IBM, Hancock joined National Semiconductor in September 1995 as an executive vice president and Chief Operating Officer in the office of the president reporting to the CEO. Hancock was responsible for the company's technology, applications, and product development.
Hancock also served with Apple Computer in 1996 as Executive Vice President, R&D and Chief Technology Officer. She was responsible for research, quality and assurance, OS development, multimedia and networking software development, as well as overall technical strategy.
Hancock is a member of the boards of directors of Colgate Palmolive and Aetna. She was on the boards of Watchguard. Jazz,and EDS. She is chairman of the board of trustees of Marist College and on the board of Santa Clara University. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Committee of 200 (Women Executives) and on the Board of Trustees of the Pacific Council and Springboard. She is on an advisory board of the RAND corporation.
She is a graduate of the mathematics program at the College of New Rochelle, holds a Master of Arts degree in mathematics from Fordham University, and an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the State University of Western Connecticut.
Key Staff:
Amy Millman
President, Springboard Enterprises
Amy Millman is a passionate advocate for women entrepreneurs building Big Businesses Starting Small. In 2000, she co-founded Springboard Enterprises, a non-profit venture catalyst which sources, coaches, showcases and supports women-led companies seeking equity capital for product development and expansion. Springboard has assisted hundreds of women entrepreneurs in raising billions in investments and connecting with thousands of expert resources. The successes of Springboard entrepreneurs include 10 IPOs, legions of high value M&As and a community of accomplished serial entrepreneurs. During her career in Washington, DC, she served as a representative for several industry groups and was appointed as Executive Director of the National Women’s Business Council during the Clinton Administration. She served on the boards of many organizations including her current service with JumpStart Inc. and Enterprising Women Magazine. She is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University and holds a Masters degree from The George Washington University.
Joshua Henderson
Director of Programming, Springboard Enterprises
Joshua Henderson's expertise is in building, maintaining and expanding relationships with and within entrepreneurial ecosystems. As the Director of Programming, Joshua oversees Springboard’s suite of programs and manages direct relationships with the vast network of women entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts in the Springboard community. Since taking leadership of Springboard’s annual seed- and growth-stage business accelerator in 2008, Joshua has strategically engaged this network to evaluate, select and coach over 120 high-growth, women-led companies as they seek equity capital for expansion. Joshua is also the Geek-in-Residence at Springboard where he leverages technology to streamline and augment the organization’s operational capabilities. Prior to Springboard, Joshua founded and chaired Georgetown University’s Business Plan Competition (now Hoya Challenge) and helped spark an entrepreneurial movement at the University, where he graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and English.
Katie Gage
Manager of Programming, Springboard Enterprises
As the Manager of Programming for Springboard Enterprises, Gage manages SBE's signature program, the Venture Forum, as well as programs such as Build It Big, the Springboard Dolphin Tank™ and other relationships, affiliations and events involving high-growth women-led businesses, women entrepreneurs, and access to venture capital. Prior to Springboard Enterprises, Gage lived and worked in Santiago, Chile where she was responsible for teaching professional English to high-level executives at International companies such as Oracle, Ernst & Young, Johnson Controls and SalfaCorp.
While in Chile, she worked with young adults near Concepcion, to advance environmental awareness in an effort to keep a public beach clean for the local community. She also co-founded and led an earthquake relief fund to leverage international donations for targeted earthquake relief efforts. Through the fund, Gage delivered nets to fishing villages, devastated by the tsunami and heating to local schools that had been looted in the wake of the disaster. She has a BA in Corporate Communications and Public Affairs from Southern Methodist University, where she received the Hunt Leadership Scholar Award.
As the Operations Manager for Springboard Enterprises, Jeanine focuses on the operations of the organization, with emphasis on general administration of the office, physical plant, financial and accounting procedures, human resources and as part of the team producing programs and events. Most recently Jeanine was working out of Pittsburgh, PA, and involved with many different Art Non-profits. She was the Managing Director of Quantum Theatre and served as the Treasurer on the Board of Director for the Brew House Association. Her career focus is to be an enabler for people's grandest ideas. Jeanine earned her bachelor's from the Maryland Institute, College of Art in Sculpture and her Master of Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
Alissa Hall Perine
As the Manager of Programming for Springboard Enterprises, Alissa manages programs including the Venture Forum, Build It Big and the Springboard Dolphin Tank™. Most recently, she ran lovebus events & design, an event planning company that was featured in The Washington Post’s Capital Business. Alissa has extensive experience in the nonprofit sector having worked for International AIDS Society, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship and Greater DC Cares. She earned her B.A. from Duke University and her M.B.A from McCombs School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin, where she also earned a certificate from the RGK Center Graduate Portfolio Program in Nonprofit Studies.
Tramaine Brathwaite
As the manager of programming, Tramaine manages programs surrounding the Venture Forums, the Springboard Dolphin Tank™, and other relationships regarding women-led businesses. Prior to joining Springboard, Tramaine ran her own production company entitled MaineDrama Productions where she produced, directed, and managed local and independent stage and film projects. She has experience in relationship management within non-profits and finding creative solutions with minimal resources. Tramaine earned her B.S. in General Business & Management from the University of Maryland College Park and her Masters of Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
