Leadership Roundtable

AIR & SPACE CAUCUS TRACK

7:30am – 8:00am | Check-in and Networking

8:00am – 8:30am | Welcoming Remarks
Marcel Johnson, Sr. Vice President, Talent & Technology Scouting & Identification, Port San Antonio
Siva Vanapali, CEO and Co-Founder, NemaLife

8:30am – 9:15am | Regional UAS/AAM Test Sites
Kara Hill, Director of Strategic Projects, Port San Antonio
Scott Snyder, VP Research & Economic Development, University of North Dakota
Moderator: Michelle Duquette, Founder, 3 MAD Air

9:15am – 9:30am | Break

9:30am – 10:15am | Central Texas – A Hub for Aerospace and Defense Innovation
Bart Bohn, Head of US Accelerator, Starburst
Lukas Oberhofer, Managing Director, Starburst USA
Moderator: Harold Strong, Senior Advisor, Starburst

10:15am – 11:00am | Space Consortia Representatives
Moderator: Blake Sabo, Perkins and Will

11:00am – 11:15am | Break

11:15am – 11:45am | MEDCO – A Solutions Provider for Support Local, State and National Security Objectives

This session will inform attendees on new operating models amenable to co-investment by the government and private market actors. Highlighting public-private partnership organizations that are structured to find solutions for long-term self-viability and success.

Thomas Sadowski, Executive Director, Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO)

11:45am – 12:15pm | Space Quantum
Moderator: Brian Darmody, Chief Strategy Officer, AURP

12:15pm – 12:30pm | Wrap-Up

4:45pm – 5:15pm | Visionary Voices: Fireside Chat

Mark Bruso, Senior Research Director, JLL
Spencer Levy, Global Client Strategist & Senior Economic Advisor, CBRE
Moderator: Beth Bowman, IOM, CCE, President & CEO, Greater Irving-Las Colinas, Chamber of Commerce

3:45pm – 4:30pm | CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS

From Closure to Cluster: Anchoring Innovation After Economic Disruption

Economic disruption is often framed as decline – plant closures, institutional failures, and abandoned land. Yet across the United States, universities, cities and regional leaders have repeatedly transformed these moments of loss into opportunities, seeding research parks and innovation districts that anchor new economic futures. This session will highlight lessons learned and adapting in the face of sudden dislocation.

Tracy Shickel, Associate Vice President, Corporate Engagement, University of Delaware
Marcel Johnson, Sr. Vice President, Talent & Technology Scouting & Identification, Port San Antonio

High-Impact Areas of Innovation: Case Studies and Toolkits

AOIs worldwide strive for impacts and financial sustainability, but relatively few achieve dramatic growth and become regional engines of prosperity. Come learn from leading global case studies of systematic development, along with a toolkit for achieving rapid economic growth and profound quality-of-place. Featuring insights from world-leading transformation program, MIT REAP; the Singapore’s One North; and the renowned South-by-Southwest Festival.

Kavan O’Connor, MIT Sloan School of Business, REAP Program
Allen Teo, JTC, One North Science Park, Singapore Government
Hugh Forrest, Chief Executive Officer, Gather and Grow
Moderator: Larry Peterson, Executive Director, Texas Foundation for Innovative Communities

Winning Through Specialization: Sector Strategies for High-Growth Innovation Districts and Research Parks
Laura O’Blenis, President & CEO, Stiletto: Make a Point
Brendan Sullivan, Director of Strategy, CIC Captains of Innovation
Moderator: Carrie Allen, Managing Partner, CIC Captains of Innovation

2:30pm – 2:15pm | CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Aligning the Innovation Value Chain: How Research, Capital & Real Estate Converge
This panel brings together three leaders representing the full innovation district value chain: municipal economic development (Dallas EDC), innovation campus operations (Pegasus Park), and research enterprise leadership (University of Utah). Moderated by Julie Huls, the discussion examines how federal funding signals, research strengths, and commercialization intelligence can be translated into real estate and tenant strategy – ensuring innovation districts are built on validated research pipelines rather than speculative development.

David Snow, Executive Director, Pegasus Park
Linda McMahon, Chief Executive Officer, Dallas Economic Development Corporation
Dr. Erin Rothwell, Nice President of Research, University of Utah
Moderator: Julie Huls, Founder, InovaSignal.ai

How VPRs Are Shaping the Future of University Research in the Face of AI Transformation
As AI transforms research administration and discovery across disciplines, VPRs and senior research leaders are rethinking how universities build competitive, responsible research enterprises. This session examines how leaders are adapting operations, supporting researchers, and positioning institutions for an AI-enabled future. Attendees will gain practical insights into evolving priorities, challenges, and opportunities shaping the next era of university research and institutional strategy nationwide.

Mariah McCord, Vice President for Research, Merrimack College
Jordan Peterson, Chief Operating Officer, Collaborative Real Estate

Creative Opportunity: Workforce Development Across Education and Innovation Partners
Josh Curry, Semiconductor, Purdue University

1:30pm – 2:15pm | MAIN STAGE SESSION

The Innovation Leadership Playbook: Perspectives from Chief Innovation Officers and VPRs
Daniel Hommes, M.D., PhD, Chief Innovation Officer, Innovation Hub, UT Southwestern
Ian Mc Clure, J.D., LL.M., Vice President for Innovation, UK HealthCare; Associate Vice President for Research, Innovation and Economic Impact, UL Research
Scott Shrake, Associate Vice President for Economic Development and Strategic Partnerships, Colorado State University
Moderator: Kevin Byrne, Chief Executive Officer, The University Financing Foundation

BIO HEALTH CAUCUS TRACK

7:30am – 10:30am | PHARMACEUTICAL FACILITY TOUR
Off Property – Transportation Provided

10:00am – 10:30am | Return to Pegasus Park

11:00am – 11:30am | State Bio Associations
Moderator: Pete Pellerito, BIO (invited)

11:30am – 12:00pm | From Silos to Systems: Accelerating Innovation to Impact through One Health Innovation District
John Stewart, Senior Director, Government Affairs, Elanco
Jacob Denecke, Senior Director, Strategic Facility Initiatives, Purdue University
Kaethe Beck, AVP of Strategic Impact in the Life Sciences, Purdue University
Moderator: Christy Wright, Chief Executive Officer, AgriNovus

12:00pm – 12:30pm | Foundations that Scale: Innovation Campuses and Biomanufacturing Growth
Melissa Roberts Chapmen, President and Regional Innovation Officer, KC BioHub
Spencer Chestnut, Manager, Biologics Strategy Deployment Catalent, Pharma Solutions
Moderator: Ben Wolfe, Dean and CEO, Kansas State University Olathe Innovation Campus

4:15pm – 5:00pm | CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Exploring High-Impact University Innovation Ecosystem Investments with Digital Twin Modeling

This session will demonstrate how a simulated “digital twin” of regional innovation ecosystems can guide programming and asset decisions for research parks and innovation districts. Utilizing an AURP member case study, the session will illustrate how calibrated models replicate historical growth, test alternatives future strategies, and reveal which types of university-linked programs, partnerships, and talent pipelines most strongly drive competitiveness, resilience, and long-run regional impact.

Joe Simkins, Principal and Project Director, TEConomy Partners
Moderator: Deborah Cummings, Principal and Managing Director, TEConomy Partners

Universities as the New Network Epicenter: How Research Parks Can Anchor the AI Infrastructure Economy

Artificial intelligence, advanced research, life sciences, defense innovation, and next-generation economic development will all depend on one increasingly scarce resource: low-latency, resilient, locally interconnected network infrastructure. This panel will explore why university research parks and innovation districts are uniquely positioned to become the new regional epicenters of digital infrastructure through the development of carrier-neutral Internet Exchange Point facilities. This session will provide a practical roadmap for research parks that want to position themselves not only as places where innovation happens, but as the physical places where the region’s digital economy connects.

Tonya Witherspoon, Consulting Director, Apprenti
Hunter Bewby, Co-Founder, IXP.US
Moderator: Brent Legg, Executive Vice President, Connected Nation & IXP.US

Designing Innovation Ecosystems That Scale

This panel brings together leaders representing three stages of ecosystem development: a mature, high-performing market, a newly activated innovation community, and a region actively designing its future strategy. Together, they will explore how innovation ecosystems are built, where they commonly break down, and what it takes to align stakeholders around measurable outcomes. The discussion will highlight the role of universities as anchor institutions, the importance of accelerator programming as connective infrastructure, and the strategies required to integrate capital, corporate engagement, and global partnerships. Attendees will walk away with actionable frameworks to design and scale innovation ecosystems that drive job creation, attract investment, and strengthen long-term regional competitiveness.

Jordan Peterson, Chief Operating Officer, Collaborative Real Estate
Jon McCarry, Department of Management, Murphy Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Shayna Hetzel, Vice President of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC)
Moderator: Robert Pieroni, Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships & Business Development, gener8tor

3:00pm – 3:45pm | CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS

From Corporate Relations to Regional Competitiveness: Reimagining University Partnerships for Innovation and Growth

Strong university-industry partnerships are essential to advancing innovation and strengthening regional competitiveness. This session brings together insights from NACRO’s updated Corporate Relations Reimagined white paper and leading universities recognized with the 2025 APLY IEP Awards to explore how institutions can build holistic corporate engagement strategies while leveraging research parks and innovation districts as engines of economic growth. Attendees will gain practical frameworks for strengthening corporate partnership, activating university assets and measuring the impact of place-based innovation strategies to drive talent development, commercialization, and regional prosperity.

Tammy Eickhoff, Mayo Clinic (NACRO)
Lisa Tran, Interim Senior Assistant Dean Executive Education; Executive Director, Corporate Engagement & Strategic Partnerships, Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University
Chris Rhodes, Executive Director, University of Georgia Innovation District
Alvaro J. Muniz, Director for Economic Engagement, Association of Public Land Grant Universities
Marc Gibson, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Economic Development, University of Tennessee

Financing Strategies for Research and Innovation

This session will explore how universities and companies are working together to co-invest in facilities, leverage public-private partnerships, and navigate policy changes to support cutting-edge research and innovation growth across a wide range of institutions. Participants will gain insights in fundamental financing principles using a combination of qualitative and quantitative frameworks, risk-sharing strategies, and best practices for aligning infrastructure development with long-term research and workforce needs and examine how various investments can support sustainable research and innovation within their communities.

Kevin Byrne, MBA, CPA, President and CEO, The University Financing Foundation
David Tyndall, Founder and CEO, Collaborative Real Estate

UT Dallas’s Vision for Student Success, Research, and External Impact

Under the leadership of new president Dr. Prabhas Moghe, UT Dallas is launching a bold strategic plan centered on three core pillars: Student Success; Academic and Research Convergence; and External Impact. Founded by Texas Instruments leaders to develop a skilled local engineering workforce, UT Dallas has a long tradition of aligning education with industry needs. This session will highlight how UT Dallas’s renewed focus on these priorities strengthens its impact and reaffirms its founding mission.

Dr. Robin Paige, Vice Provost for Academic Success and Innovation, UT Dallas
Dr. Joseph Pancrazio, Vice President for Research and Innovation, UT Dallas
Dr. Marc Christensen, Special Advisor for Industry Engagement and Innovation Impact, UT Dallas
Moderator: Dr. Brian Ten Eyck, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff, UT Dallas

2:00pm – 2:30pm | CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS

From Knowledge Economy to Brain Economy: A New Blueprint for Research Park Success

This panel reframes research parks from real estate-driven knowledge economies to brain economies centered on human and cognitive capital. Using Rowen and Research Triangle Park as case studies, it shows how brain health can be embedded through design, culture, technology, and governance across campuses and districts. Integrating architecture, policy, neuroscience, and data, the session offers a practical framework for measurable, scalable investments that enhance talent attraction, institutional performance, and resilient innovation ecosystems long-term value creation.

Zack Lofton, AICP, CNU A, Sr. Urban Planner, HKS
Stephen White, JD, BS, Chief Operating Officer, Accounting Center for Brain Health
Mason Ailstock, President & Chief Executive Officer, Rowen Foundation
Moderator: Julie Hiromoto, WELL AP, LEED AP, Partner, Director of Integration, HKS

Financing Innovation: Connecting Capital, Commercialization, and Community Impact

This session explores how innovative funding models are accelerating university research commercialization by connecting capital, industry, and community partners. Panelists will highlight strategies that align federal funding, private investment, accelerator programs, and public-private partnerships to move promising technologies from the lab to marketplace. Through practical examples, including the North Carolina’s NCInnovation model, attendees will learn how coordinated capital strategies can de-risk innovation, attract follow-on investment, and drive lasting regional economic impact.

Connor Sitton, JD, Parnter, Head of Operations, FortySix Capital
Tracey Poole, JD, Managing Partner, FortySix Capital
Chris Wright, Ph.D., Assistant Vice President of Innovation, University of Tulsa
Jacob Johnson, Founder, innovosource
Linda Hall, Executive Vice President, CFO, NCInnovation

Quantum Computing: Texas-Sized Growth and Workforce Needs
Mayor Amir Omar, Richardson Texas
Victor Fishman, Executive Director, Texas Research Alliance
Brian Rashap, Quantum and Internet of Things Educator, Central New Mexico Community College
Brenden Mesch, Collin College Technical Campus

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH

7:30am – 12:30pm | MAIN STAGE GENERAL SESSIONS

7:30am-8:00am | Breakfast Fireside Chat
Dr. Erwin Gianchandani, Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, U.S. National Science Foundation

8:00am-8:30am | Welcome Remarks
David Snow, Executive Director, Pegasus Park
Gina Ford, Chief Executive Officer, BIO North Texas
Linda McMahon, Chief Executive Officer, Dallas Economic Development Corporation

8:30am-9:00am | Pegasus Park Vision
David Snow, Executive Director, Pegasus Park
Nicole Small. Chief Executive Officer, Lyda Hill Holdings
Linda McMahon, Chief Executive Officer, Dallas Economic Development Corporation
Steve Davis, President, J. Small Investments
Moderator: Stephen Coulston, Managing Principal, Perkins&Will

9:00am-9:15am | Brain Health Institute
Stephen White, JD, BS, Chief Operating Officer, Accounting Center for Brain Health

9:15am-10:00am | Reimagining the Modern Research Park
Chris Leary, AIA LEED AP Principal, S+T Practice Leader, HOK
Amber Wendland, AIA, AICP, Associate Principal, Ayers Saint Gross
Dennis Miller, Senior Vice President and Market Executive, Wexford Science + Technologies
Beth O’Neill Maloney, Executive Director, Kendall Square Association
Kevin Johnson, AIA, LEED AP< Principal, Ayers Saint Gross
Scott Levitan, President & CEO, The Research Triangle Park Foundation

10:00am-10:30am | Break and Water Cooler Tours

10:30am-11:00am | Economic Impact of Innovation Districts
Cullum Clark, Director, Economic Growth, Bush Institute

11:00pm-11:30pm | Genesis Mission
Leslee Gilbert, Vice President, Van Scoyoc Associates

8:00am – 8:30am | Welcoming Remarks

Speakers:

David Snow, Executive Director, Pegasus Park
Gina Ford, CEO, BIO North Texas
Linda McMahon, CEO, Dallas EDC

12:30 | AURP International Conference Celebration Luncheon

Anniversary celebrations and Awards of Excellence Presentation
5 yrs Pegasus Park * 40 yrs AURP * 250 yrs USA

1:00pm – 4:00pm | LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLE (additional fee applies)

Milestone Moments of America the Exceptional: Updated Research Park / Innovation District Dataset
This year’s leadership roundtable will explore the trends, milestones and economic forces shaping America’s innovation landscape. Gain fresh insights and engage in thought-provoking discussions that will help you discover what the latest data says about the next chapter of American Innovation.

Erin Koshut, Executive Director, Cummings Research Park
Cullum Clark, Director, Economic Growth, George W. Bush Institute
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1:30pm – 2:00pm | Competing in a Changed World: Powering the Next Era of Innovation Net…

Thomas Osha, Executive Vice President, Wexford Science and Technology

8:00am – 8:45am | At the Crossroads: Innovation, Investment, and the Future of State Economies

As state priorities evolve and budgets become more focused, innovation communities must sharpen how they communicate their value and impact. This interactive session will explore the current state and federal funding landscape, including insights on SBIR reauthorization, shifting legislative priorities, and trends affecting economic development organizations. Speakers will share both high-level perspectives and practical examples – from navigating funding changes to addressing emerging issues like AI, energy costs, hydrogen strategies, and data center growth.

Mark Skinner, President and CEO, SSTI
J. Michael Bowman, President and CEO, Delaware Technology Park, Inc

1:30pm – 4:30pm | Core Facilities and Strategic Programs to Drive Innovation and Economic Growth

Shared centralized research resources, often referred to as core facilities, enable access to expertise and sophisticated instrumentation creating opportunities to drive discovery and train the workforce. Despite the value they create, core facilities come with their own challenges especially in an environment where F&A cuts are looming. We will take a deep dive into best practices for efficient operations, strategically growing a strong user base, engaging corporate partners, and supporting defense related users with security needs. With effective execution, core facilities not only drive innovation and training, but also support business attraction and growth of regional economies.

Part 1: Fireside Chat

Karen Dobos, Scientific Director, Colorado State University Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (RBL)
Moderator: Amy Adams, Executive Director, Institute for Biohealth Innovation, George Mason University

Part 2: Panel Discussion

Tim Marlowe, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, FAKnostics; Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine, University of Arizona, College of Medicine – Phoenix
Jeff Smith, Director, Research Parks, Michigan State University Research Foundation
Claudia Whitehead, Lead, Bioscience Healthcare, City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development
Russ Zarras, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Fraunhofer USA, Inc.
Moderator: Matt Ballard, CEO/Executive Director, West Virginia Regional Technology Park Corporation

8:00am – 11:45am | Next-Gen Financing Approaches for Research and Innovation

This module explores the changing models for financing and building research infrastructure as changes in facilities and administrative (F&A) rates, shifting federal funding priorities, and evolving industry engagement strategies are driving new approaches to financing and sustaining research spaces. This session will explore how universities and companies are working together to co-invest in facilities, leverage public-private partnerships, and navigate policy changes to support cutting-edge research as well as approaches to financing that will enable research and innovation growth across a wide range of institutions. The session is organized around four core topics: financing fundamentals, emerging strategies by institutions, evolving overhead recovery models, and state-level funding approaches that support research parks and innovation ecosystems. Participants will gain insights in fundamental financing principles using a combination of qualitative and quantitative frameworks, risk-sharing strategies, and best practices for aligning infrastructure development with long-term research and workforce needs and examine how various investments can support sustainable research and innovation within their communities.

Kelvin Droegemeier, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Science and Policy, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Rahul Saxena, Director, CREATE-X; Associate Director, LAUNCH
Larry Peterson, Executive Director, Texas Foundation for Innovative Communities
Moderator: Kevin Byrne, President and CEO, The University Financing Foundation

3:30pm – 5:30pm | Tour of Novus Innovation Corridor

The group will depart the Tempe Mission Palms lobby at 3:30 to walk to the Global Futures Laboratory.
Prepare to get your steps in today! Estimated roundtrip walk…2.5 miles.

Plan to wear comfortable walking shoes for this 1.1-mile jaunt from the Tempe Mission Palms to the Global Futures Lab before experiencing a section of this Innovation Corridor. Our afternoon will conclude with a group dinner at Eureka!, followed by a return walk back to the hotel.

NOVUS INNOVATION CORRIDOR, one of ASU’s eight Innovation Zones, is a public/private partnership between Arizona State University and Catellus Development. Strategically integrated with ASU’s Tempe campus along Tempe Town Lake, the mixed-use development is home to Fortune 100 corporations, new technologies, medical research companies, start-ups, maker businesses and more, plus empowers access to world-class research and a highly educated and skilled workforce.

355 ACRES of commerce, urban living and recreation
34K NEW JOBS within Novus upon completion
4K RESIDENTS upon completion
25MM POPULATION within 10-mile radius by 2023
940K EMPLOYEES within 10‑mile commute by 2023

12:30pm – 3:15pm | Public-Private Partnerships (P3s): Catalyzing Research Parks and Innovation Districts

Billions of dollars across the US have been invested in Public-Private Partnerships (P3s) to develop student housing at our universities. But how can this funding and delivery mechanism be deployed to finance and build research parks and innovation districts? And exactly what is a P3 as opposed to just contracting to build a facility?

As universities, cities and regions face challenges in finding ways to launch or expand innovation districts and research park facilities, learn how P3s are overcoming resource constraints. This module focuses on partner selection and advancements in procurement, design, financing, and operating and maintenance (O&M).

Neil Calfee, Executive Director, Economic Development and Innovation Zones, Arizona State University
Sarah Horta, MCFE, M.P.S., Director of Innovation & Strategic Partnerships, Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO)
Kevin Byrne, President and CEO, The University Financing Foundation
Brian Naumick, Partner, Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate
Merry Hunter Caudle, Director, Economic Development, Georgia Institute of Technology
Sandra McQuain, Vice President of Infrastructure, Access Intelligence
Moderator: Brian Darmody, Chief Strategy Officer, AURP

9:00am – 11:30am | Pivots Over Time: When Plans Do Not Meet Market Reality

This two-part module will examine several new models for research parks seeding support and execution.

Part 1: New Models for Research Parks

Participants will gain insight into the role of philanthropy and community impact in research parks, with practical strategies for enhancing funding models and deepening community engagement.

Matthew Crommett, Managing Director, LH Capital, Inc. and Lyda Hill Properties
Jeff Seymour, President and CEO, Oklahoma City Innovation District
Moderator: David Snow, Executive Director, Pegasus Park

Part 2: Identifying the Gap and the Risk

The next part to this session will explore how some universities are partnering exclusively with third-party developers to deliver mixed-use districts, shifting development responsibility and capital risk while giving up certain levels of control common to innovation districts. With projects at various stages of development and redevelopment, the discussion offers an opportunity to compare approaches and share lessons learned among university leaders and development partners.

Rebecca Ivins, Research Parks Director, University of Virginia Foundation
Misty Parsons, Marketing & Relationship Manager, University of Virginia Foundation
Chris Whittier, Senior Director, Tishman Speyer
Moderator: Mary Morris, Director Baltimore Fund, University of Maryland Baltimore

2:00pm – 5:00pm | Emerging Technologies Supporting the “Software” of Innovation Ecosystems

University-anchored “innovation ecosystems” include research, technology development, technology transfer, funding sources, start-ups, spinouts, and corporate partnerships. The development of innovative ideas and technologies, and their subsequent delivery to end users, require multiple resources to collaborate effectively to deliver improvements to society’s standards of living.
In the past few years, several new and improved software technologies have emerged to support University Administrators and/or Innovation Managers in the process of tracking emerging innovations and connecting them to necessary resources. This session will rely on both university practitioners as well as the technology providers to separate hype from reality and share best practices.

Brenda Barry, Director of Corporate Relations, University of Arizona
Tom Kissane, Enterprise Customer Support Manager, Halo
J. Mark Nolan, Associate Vice President, Corporate Engagement, Georgia Institute of Technology
Cody Pawlowski, Co-Founder and CTO, FirstIgnite
Justin Rerko, Growth Strategist, Tradespace
Mala Sahai, Senior Director, Intellectual Property and Legal Affairs, Gladstone Institutes
Alancia Wicks, Director, Office Of Tech Transfer and Innovation, Tennessee State University
Moderator: Jordan Peterson, Chief Operations Officer, Collaborative Real Estate

1:00pm – 1:30pm | Opening Remarks

Allison Madden, Chief Operating Officer & Corporate Secretary, University of South Florida Research Foundation; AURP President
Harold Strong, 2026 Spring Training Chair, CEO, InnovTX