AURP LEADERSHIP
AURP Staff
AURP Headquarters
9070 South Rita Road, Suite 3500, Tucson, AZ 85747
AURP HQ2 (Washington DC Area)
7761 Diamondback Dr., College Park, MD 20742
Chief Executive Officer
Vickie Palmer
O: (520) 248-1281
Meetings Manager
Diana Horn
O: (520) 529-2523
Chief Strategy Officer
Brian Darmody
O: (301) 928-0527
Marketing & Administration
Shelby Martin
O: (520) 529-2521
OFFICERS
President
Allison Madden, MBA (2025-2026)
Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary, University of South Florida (USF) Research Foundation
Tampa, Florida
Vice President
Jeff Smith
Director, Research Parks, Michigan State University Research Foundation
East Lansing, Michigan
Treasurer
Harry Brislin, MBA
Executive Director, Real Estate Services & Asset Management, USA Technology and Research Park
Mobile, Alabama
Secretary
Keisha Demps
Director of Partnerships, Centennial Campus at NC State University
Raleigh, North Carolina
At Large
Kate Engel
Executive Director, Nebraska Innovation Campus, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, Nebraska
At Large
Tracy Shickel
Director, Economic Development, University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware
Immediate Past President
Erin Koshut
Executive Director, Cummings Research Park
Huntsville, Alabama
DIRECTORS
Amy Adams
Executive Director, Institute for Biohealth Innovation, George Mason University
Manassas, Virginia
Merry Hunter Caudle
Associate Director, Economic Development, Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, Georgia
Adam Eshelbrenner
Senior Vice President, The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
Kansas City, Missouri
Will Germain
CEO & Managing Partner, MCB Science & Health
Chicago, Illinois
Linda Hall
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, NCInnovation, Inc.
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
Kate Hier
AIA, NCARB, WELL AP, Principal, Clark & Enersen
Lincoln, Nebraska
Sara Merriman
Director, Member Engagement & Strategy, NIIMBL
Newark, Delaware
Zach Miles
Senior Associate Vice President for Economic Development and Executive Director, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Research Foundation
Las Vegas, Nevada
Laura O’Blenis
President & CEO, Stiletto: Make A Point
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Aaron Olver
Managing Director, University Research Park, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
AURP thanks outgoing board members for their leadership and service
2025 AURP Board of Directors
Leah Burton
Principal Industry Consultant for Higher Education, SAS Institute
Cary, North Carolina
Dwaine Chapel
CEO & Executive Director, Growth Partnership and Research Park, South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota
Scott Levitan
President & CEO, The Research Triangle Park of North Carolina
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
Mark Romney
Senior Vice President, Blue Rise Ventures
Alameda, California