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Our Team

Our leadership team and advisory board enables the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to ignite passion, fuel desires, and fan the spirit and culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across our campus and the region.
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Leadership


 
Headshot of Zac Strobl
Zac Strobl
Zac Strobl is the Director of ÎÞÂëÇ¿¼é's Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and an Entrepreneurship professor. Zac has played a major role in the success and growth of a multitude of university programs, businesses, and community initiatives. He co-founded and grew the IÎÞÂëÇ¿¼éBATOR, a pre-seed stage  accelerator, into one of the top five university business accelerators in North America. Under his leadership, teams have raised $7.3 million in outside funds, created 64 jobs, and launched 37 businesses. Zac's background also includes launching multiple ventures, working at a start-up company, running/selling a family business, and consulting with start-ups/small businesses through the Small Business Development Center.
Headshot of Jeff Varrone
Jeff Varrone
Assistant Director
BC 305
(859) 572-5931
varronej@nku.edu
Jeff Varrone is the Assistant Director for the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and serves as a faculty member in Entrepreneurship.  He also works with students on various events and academic programs to prepare them for business opportunities and to help create awareness of entrepreneurship across campus and in the community.  He joined the Entrepreneurship Program while completing his Master’s Degree with a focus on Entrepreneurship at ÎÞÂëÇ¿¼é.

 

 
Headshot of David Schneider
Dr. David Schneider
Entrepreneur In Residence
BC 350
(859) 572-5931
schneiderdav@nku.edu
Dr. Schneider served as the CEO of Rem Brands, Inc., a technology incubator of high performance patented chemistries and proprietary formulas before joining ÎÞÂëÇ¿¼é as the CIE Director. Spanning a 30-year career, he brings a wide variety of business experience to the CIE, from launching startups as an entrepreneur to guiding established public and private companies as the president/CEO. He has extensive experience negotiating and executing contracts in multinational environments including North America, Asia and Europe. Dr. Schneider is also the inventor on 29 granted patents as well as several pending patents and has leveraged this technical expertise to help other entrepreneurs pursuing intellectual-based businesses in the region.
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Advisory Board

Kim Banham, Partner
Connetic Ventures

Karla Boldery, Cincinnati Market General Manager
La Mega Media, Inc.

Gary Darna, Founder and CEO
Micromerch

Sean Donovan, Co-Founder
Finix

Garrett Frey, Senior Product Manager
Frey Municipal Software

Brittan Grubb, Owner
ABS Communications

Stephanie Hughes, Co-Founder
CHN Analytics, LLC

Dave Knox, Executive Director
Blue North

Dino Lucarelli, Director
Barnes Denning

Tarita Preston, Chief Coach
The Curated Coach

Darrin Redus, Executive Director
Minority Business Accelerator

Josh Reid, CEO and Founder
Inphlu

Daniela Tomusko-Yoder, Vice President
Venture First

Will Weber, President and CEO
Southbank Partners

Amy Wright, Founder and Owner
reSettled Life

John Zurborg, President and CEO
Skilcraft, LLC