Experts in Residence

WPI’s Experts in Residence program connects aspiring entrepreneurs with accomplished and recognized mentors who are committed to offering guidance and sharing their expertise.
Experts in Residence program helps students, faculty, and staff just beginning their entrepreneurial path learn from those who have been down a similar road. The mentors are a group of successful entrepreneurs, business leaders, and alumni who devote at least two hours a month to help those interested in varied aspects of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Through individual sessions, I&E events and workshops, and informal connections, students and faculty receive tailored and targeted guidance from mentors who have experience in certain career paths or experiences.
The following goals are the foundation for the Experts in Residence program’s mission:
- Provide advice to students who have an entrepreneurial interest
- Support students in developing their network
- Provide career and professional expertise
- Inspire students to achieve their own success
- Offer advice on furthering start-up companies
Becoming a Mentor
Experienced mentors have a lot to offer and engage with students and faculty members in different situations. Mentors offer their guidance and assistance in varied ways:
- Meet with and advising students and faculty interested in innovation and entrepreneurship
- Participate in the classroom
- Attend or facilitate a workshop through our innovative programs or student clubs
- Participate or serve as a competition judge
- Join us as a guest, guest speaker, or panelist at one of our special events
- Hold in-person or virtual office hours
- Join any of WPI’s Tech Advisors Network (TAN) events
- Participate in the annual Innovation & Entrepreneurship roundtable
- Facilitate or participate during Embark workshops
For questions or to learn more about Experts in Residence program please email us at ie@wpi.edu. Mentors may not be reserved for event speaking opportunities.
Meet With An Expert
Connect with our Experts In Residence
Our industry experts are ready and willing to guide our students through their experiential learning and projects. Contact any of our experts listed below applicable to your field of study. Connect with them through the email provided or schedule an appointment through 'Meet with an Expert' link provided above.

Mitra Anand
Advanced Technology and Prototyping Specialist, Makerspace and Prototyping Expert
WPI areas of study related to Mitra’s experience: Biomedical Engineering, Business, Computer Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical & Materials Engineering, Physics, and Robotics Engineering
What can I talk to Mitra about today?
- Product Design
- 3D Printing
- Laser Cutting
- Prototyping
- PCB Design
- Design Thinking
- Mechanical Engineering
- Robotics Engineering
- Mechatronics Systems
- Microcontrollers
- MakerBucks
Learn more about Mitra:

Finn Arnold
Vice President Research and Emerging Business, Bose Corp (retired)
WPI areas of study related to Finn’s experience: Business, Entrepreneurship, Systems Engineering, Learning Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Acoustics, Management Engineering, Leadership.
What can I talk to Finn about today?
- Product engineering
- Career planning
- Engineering and business leadership
- Framing problems and prioritizing results
- Influence
- Customer discovery
- People management
- Innovation
- Effective Brainstorming
Learn more about Finn:

Jim Baum
Tech Growth CEO, Board Member, Advisor & Investor
WPI areas of study related to Jim’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Computer Science, Data Science, Entrepreneurship, Information Technology, and Operations Analytics & Management
What can I talk to Jim about today?
- Business Strategy & Development
- Business Scaling
- Startups
- Competitive Analysis
- Product Marketing
- Go-to-Marketing Strategy
- Big Data
- Leadership
- Strategic Partnerships
- Building High Performing Teams
Learn more about Jim:

Anthony Coston
President/Consultant- Elise William Ventures (EWV)
WPI areas of study related to Anthony’s experience: Biology, Biology & Biotechnology, Biomedical Engineering, Bioscience Management, Business, Business Analytics, Business Administration, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, and Supply Chain Management
What can I talk to Anthony about today?
- Customer Discovery
- Medical Devices
- Pharmaceutical Product Development
- Project Management
- Strategic Partnerships
- Design Controls/FDA Regulations- Medical Devices & OSD Pharmaceutical
Learn more about Anthony: LinkedIn

Luis De la Cruz
Sales and Business Strategy Expert
What can I talk to Luis about today?
- Business development
- Markets assessment,
- Go-to-market analysis, strategies.
- International markets.
- Security (Physical and logical), Identity, Access Control, Authentication)
Learn more about Luis:

Bill Desmarais
Vice President, Business Development -Momenta Pharmaceuticals
WPI areas of study related to Bill’s experience: Biochemistry, Biology, Biology & Biotechnology, Biomedical Engineering, Bioscience Management, Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, and Chemistry
What can I talk to Bill about today?
- Bench to Bedside / Idea Stage through Commercialization
- Partnering Technologies
- Financial modeling
- Creating Target Product Profiles
- Biotech
Learn more about Bill: LinkedIn

Arjun Gandhi
What can I talk to Arjun about today?
- Ideation & Validation
- Robotics
- Debugging Code
- Web Automation
- Websites
- Software Development & Engineering
- CAD, 3D Printing, Prototyping/ Rapid Prototyping
- Networking
- Interviewing
- Job Search
- Schedule Planning
- Early Stage Startups (Founding to Preseed/Seed)
WPI areas of study related to Arjun's experience: Robotics Engineering, Computer Science, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and UX Design

Rosanna Garcia
What can I talk to Rosanna about today?
- Diversity in Entrepreneurship
- Sustainable Innovation
- Artificial Intelligence
- Product Development & Testing
- Application Development (wireframes)
- Customer Discovery
- Social Media Data Mining
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneurial Marketing
WPI areas of study related to Rosanna's experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Data Science and Entrepreneurship

Charlie Garland
Co-Developer at CubieDx.org & Founder, The Innovation Habit
WPI areas of study related to Charlie’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Entrepreneurship, Humanities & Arts (Professional Writing & English Minor), Industrial Engineering, Operational Analytics & Management, and Psychology
What can I talk to Charlie about today?
- Stimulating Innovation
- Design Thinking
- Creative Problem Solving
- Product Design
- Business Development
- Business Systems
- Marketing
- Non-Profit Leadership
- Strategy & Operations
- Investing
Learn more about Charlie: LinkedIn

Jodi Gernon
Director, Arthur Rock Center for Entrepreneurship at
Harvard Business School
WPI areas of study related to Jodi’s experience: Business, Business administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Entrepreneurship
What can I talk to Jodi about today?
- Customer Discovery
- Business Scaling
- MVP Development
- User Testing & Validation
- Value Proposition
- Product Innovation
- Go-to-Market Strategy
- Leadership
- Startups
- Pitching
- Fundraising
- Women Entrepreneurs
Learn more about Jodi: LinkedIn

Danielle Gillespie
Technologist | Consultant | Startup Advisor | Entrepreneur
WPI areas of study related to Danielle’s experience:
Entrepreneurship, Software Design & Development, Start Up, Product/Market fit, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Robotics, UI/UX
What can I talk to Danielle about:
- product design
- product development
- product roadmap
- launching an idea
- collect + analyze usage data
- startups (all stages)
- teams
- pitch deck
- early stage financial model
- growing a business
- career paths
- ama
Learn more about Danielle:
LinkedIn

Scott Harris
Co-Founder - Onshape & Solidworks
WPI areas of study related to Scott’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Computer Science, Entrepreneurship, Innovation with User Experience (IUX), Manufacturing Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering
What can I talk to Scott about today?
- UX Testing
- Product Design
- Start-ups (All Stages: Prototype to Product, Testing a Market, Finding Potential Customers)
- Design Thinking
- Mechanical Engineering
- Career Paths
- Creating Teams
- CNC Machining
- 3d Printing
- Growing a Business & Company
- ….and much more!
Learn more about Scott: LinkedIn

Jeremy Hitchcock
Founder - Minim, Dyn, Bookery Manchester
WPI areas of study related to Jeremy’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Entrepreneurship, and Management Information Systems
What can I talk to Jeremy about today?
- Team Building
- Python
- Startups (IoT)
- Digital Security
- Tech Transfer & Commercialization
- Networking
- Fundraising
- Investing
Learn more about Jeremy: LinkedIn

Liz Hitchcock
Eclectic Entrepreneur - Minim, Bookery, Factory
WPI areas of study related to Liz’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Computer Science, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation with User Experience (IUX)
What can I talk to Liz about today?
- Engineering Women in Startups
- Why Operational Excellence in the Beginning is best for a Startup (legal, hr, cap tables, and bookkeeping)
- Funding: Pitching an Angel investor/VC/Syndicate & Bootstrapping
- People (partners/employees/customers)
Learn more about Liz: LinkedIn

Jennifer Jordan
EIR at Techstars Future of Longevity
WPI areas of study related to Jennifer’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Financial Mathematics, and International & Global Studies (Latin America)
What can I talk to Jennifer about today?
- Investor Relations
- Investing
- Financing Strategy
- Go-to-Market Strategy
- Business Development
- Organizational Structuring
- Strategic Alignment
- Early-Stage Tech Startups
- Non-Profits
- Social Entrepreneurship
Learn more about Jennifer: LinkedIn

Claire Leurent
Principal, Venture Investments at Johnson & Johnson Innovation Center (JJDC)
WPI areas of study related to Claire’s experience: Biochemistry, Biology, Biology & Biotechnology, Biomedical Engineering, Bioscience Management, Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Chemistry, and Neuroscience
What can I talk to Claire about today?
- Project Management
- Pharmaceutical R&D
- Pharmaceutical Investments
Learn more about Claire: LinkedIn

Bob Mason
Managing Partner, Argon Ventures & Managing,
Director Project 11
WPI areas of study related to Bob’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Computer Science, Entrepreneurship, Innovation with User Experience (IUX), and Interactive Media & Game Development
What can I talk to Bob about today?
- Strategic Planning
- Strategic Partnerships
- Product Design
- Product Management
- Enterprise Sales
- Global Markets
- Startups (early to late stage)
- Pitching
- Raising Capital
Learn more about Bob: LinkedIn

Zenobia Moochala
Advisor at Embark Veterinary
WPI areas of study related to Zenobia’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, and Entrepreneurship
What can I talk to Zenobia about today?
- Team Building
- People Management
- Customer Engagement
- Business Strategy
- Marketing Strategy
- Consumer Marketing
- Product Marketing & Management
- Fundraising
Learn more about Zenobia: LinkedIn

Aaron O’Hearn
Cofounder & CEO at Worthright
WPI areas of study related to Aaron’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, and Entrepreneurship
What can I talk to Aaron about today?
- Business Development
- Business Strategy
- Go-to-Market Strategy
- Learning-led Sales
- Customer Discovery & Solutions Design
- Recruiting
- Negotiation
Learn more about Aaron: LinkedIn

Jerrold M. Shapiro
WPI areas of study related to Jerrold’s experience:
Biomedical engineering, Business School - innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership, Capstone projects in healthcare, Doctoral dissertations in biomedical engineering and healthcare
What can I talk to Jerrold about:
- Medical instrumentation
- Women's health (anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, diseases, treatments, gynecology, urogynecology, SexTech, FemTech)
- Medical economics (ICD-10 diagnostic codes, CPT payment codes, what physicians are looking for)
- Business (Medical device sales, marketing, negotiation, dealing with physicians)
- Clinical Trial design and execution
- Regulatory affairs (how to work with the FDA, US and EU regulatory pathways)
- How to start, fund and run a medical device business
Learn more about Jerrold:

Steph Speirs
Co-Founder & CEO at Solstice
WPI areas of study related to Steph’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Environmental & Sustainability Studies, International & Global Studies, Science and Technology for Innovation in Global Development, and Social Entrepreneurship
What can I talk to Steph about today?
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Social Justice
- Renewable Energy
- Sales & Marketing
- International Business
- Startups
Learn more about Steph: LinkedIn

Julianne Zimmerman
Managing Director, Reinventure Capital
WPI areas of study related to Julianne’s experience: Aerospace Engineering, Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Entrepreneurship, and Social Entrepreneurship
What can I talk to Julianne about today?
- Where do I start?
- How do I ask the right questions?
- Strategic Thinking
- Market Approach
- Team Building
- Social Enterprise
- Non-Traditional Funding & Choosing the Right Funding
Learn more about Julianne: LinkedIn