ITECS Innovative Consulting Bios

ITECS is an organization comprised of experienced and celebrated individuals from government, industry, academia, and non-profits. We hire only specialists with vast experience and success launching new technology into the marketplace or who have experience and strong ties to state and federal government agencies. Our extensive network allows us to bring the right individuals to the table to give your project the best chance of success.

Our network includes program managers, technical experts with access to various government agencies, new business development professionals able to identify procurement opportunities with the government, lobby firms with access to the congressional staff, proposal writers, and contracting experts. This network allows us access to 70 percent of national laboratories and 85 percent of congressional offices and means that we have a local representation in 100 percent of state governments.
These individuals, profiled below and divided into areas of expertise, can help you get your new technologies to market faster and more successfully.

Program Managers

Bianca Beeks has over 10 years of experience with the federal budget process from both the executive and legislative branch perspectives. Prior to consulting, Bianca served as the primary representative to the executive and legislative branches of government for Navmar Applied Sciences Corp., an R&D firm focused on defense and homeland security technologies. In that capacity, Bianca developed strategies for growing the business through congressional advocacy and direct interaction with federal departments. In addition, Bianca worked for eight years as the congressional liaison supporting the Navy for multi-billion dollar shipbuilding programs, where she gained extensive experience formulating and executing congressional strategies. In the last several years, Bianca’s focus has shifted to Department of Energy research programs. She has helped clients position their technologies for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. Bianca earned a BA from the University of Washington and an MA in national security policy from The George Washington University. She has also completed courses of study in appropriations law, congressional operations, and advanced congressional budget procedures. Bianca holds a SECRET security clearance.

Dan Coughlin brings a wealth of new product development experience to ITECS’ clients. In his years of working as an engineer at both GE and Sappi Fine Paper, he was promoted from technical specialist to research director with responsibilities for developing and launching new products and related technologies. He is the recipient of several management and technical innovation awards and served as the Nanotechnology Chair for the Agenda 2020 Program within the American Forest & Paper Association.

As an active industrial partner, Dan has worked with the Department of Energy to support renewable energy and sustainability projects within the paper industry. Dan has also been a supporting industrial partner in several National Science Foundation projects with extensive experience collaborating with universities. He has a BS and an MS in chemical engineering from the University of Maine.

Sandra L. Kessler has more than 30 years experience in materials testing, technical support, marketing, and sales of specialty fiberglass and composite products to a broad industrial base. After retiring from PPG Industries in 2004, she started a consulting practice providing market development and technical support for a variety of clients.

At PPG, Sandra managed PPG’s ESM (Electronics and Specialty Materials) Science and Technology Group. In this post she led the R&D staff and oversaw the facilities and equipment involved in the R&D operation. During the 1990s, she lived and worked in Asia and Europe as a reinforcements technical manager, where she served as liaison between agents/distributors/customers and PPG’s marketing and manufacturing organizations. She also chaired ASTM D20.10.02; was editor for ASTM STP 936, Instrumented Impact Testing of Plastics and Composites Materials; and authored a chapter about glass fibers in Edenbaum’s Plastics Additives and Modifiers Handbook. She is a member of the American Composites Manufacturers Association, LES, and PDMA. Sandra has BS and MS degrees in physics from the University of Florida.

Meg Irvin has extensive experience at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where she was the technology development associate for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, program analyst for the Office of Management Assessment, and legislative officer for the Office of the Director for the National Human Genome Research Institute. Prior to her work at NIH, she was an AAAS Congressional Fellow for US Senator Mark O. Hatfield, where she tracked and drafted positions on policy and legislative issues and drafted speeches and position papers for biomedical research, health care, the Endangered Species Act, and fisheries. Meg has a DVM from the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University and a BA in biology from the University of Delaware.

Barbara McCutchan, PhD, is a sustainability expert with 20 plus years of experience in the packaging and forestry industry. She has a strong record as a catalyst for change in corporate responsibility and global sustainability. She leads by example with teams and external organizations to leverage the strength of a corporation in making the world a better place, while still making a profit. She develops policy and builds capacity within organizations to embed sustainability practices. Her focal areas include Integrating Sustainability into Operations, Customer and Investor Responses (DJSI World application), Sustainability Reporting, Ethical Supply Chain Sourcing, and Forest Genetics. Before consulting with ITECS, Barbara was affiliated with MeadWestvaco Corporation. Barbara has a PhD and MS in forestry and statistics from North Carolina State University and a BS in forestry from the University of California- Berkeley.

Michael Muthig, PhD, has focused on helping secure funding and technology commercialization for emerging technologies. He has worked with universities, government labs, private companies, and individual inventors. His experience includes work with the University of South Carolina, East Carolina University, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and more than 50 privately or publicly held companies. He has worked with various technologies in a variety of fields including chemistry, biochemistry, biology, biomedical engineering, pharmacy, medicine, physics, earth science, engineering, and computer science. Michael has a PhD in geology from the University of South Carolina.

Deb Russell has extensive experience in both the medical devices and pharmaceutical industries working as a vice president and managing director for Guidant Medical Devices and a manager for Eli Lilly. Over the last two years she has helped both for-profit companies and universities position their technologies for funding both at Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Defense. Deb has a BS in chemical engineering from the University of Tennessee and an MBA from the University of Michigan Executive Program for Finance.

Phil Smith, PhD, is a technology consultant with broad experience in scientific research, new technology development, and writing and managing government proposals. Phil has published numerous white papers and government grant proposal requests for The Ohio State University, Traycer Diagnostic Systems, and other high-technology clients. He serves as the director of scientific research for Traycer Diagnostic Systems, where he manages federal projects and budgets designed to commercialize record-performing detector and array architectures for sub-millimeter wave imaging. He is well versed in conducting early-stage technology investigations and evaluating monetization potential for clients. He is a frequent presenter and publisher in the scientific community. Phil earned his PhD in physics from The Ohio State University.

Paula Stevenson, PhD, has extensive experience working in several National Science Foundation (NSF) centers. She has spent the last 10 years at the College of Engineering at Ohio State as Program Director for the NSF’s Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC) on Affordable Nanoengineering of Polymer Biomedical Devices. She has also served as the education director for the NSF Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Program on Molecular Engineering of Microdevices and Administrator for the NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Advanced Polymers and Composite Engineering. Paula has a PhD in civil and environmental engineering and geodetic science and a BS in engineering physics with a specialty in electrical engineering from The Ohio State University.

Joe Turnham works as a consultant, program manager, and governmental affairs specialist for ITECS. Joe, a native of Alabama, is a 1981 graduate of the School of Business at Auburn University. Joe has an extensive and diverse network of business and governmental contacts throughout the US, especially in state governments. He works with Fortune 500 companies, non-profits, and start-ups as a strategic consultant on a range of issues such as securing federal funding/permits, lobbying, new project development, site location, crisis resolution, and PAC development. He works both in Washington, DC, and throughout the states with local governments and economic development authorities.

Congressional and Government Agency Reach

John Banisaukas specializes in government contracts program management and administration. John has a dual BS degree in chemistry and mathematics from Baldwin-Wallace College. He has a broad background and over 39 years experience in advanced composite materials with Cytec Engineering Materials, BP Amoco, and Union Carbide. During his various roles and capacities, he was also responsible for administrative and technical management of government (Department of Defense) contracts worth in excess of $25 million, as well as external customer and internal manufacturing technical support for all grades of carbon and graphite fiber-based composite products. He is the author or co-author of more than 40 standardized methods, procedures, and technical publications in the field of testing and characterization of carbon fibers and engineering composite materials. John served six years as the chairman of the Suppliers of Advanced Composite Materials Association (SACMA) Technical Affairs Steering Committee and is a member of several professional organizations. He supports ITECS in securing funding for their clients and helping clients execute contracts.

Bianca Beeks has over 10 years of experience with the federal budget process from both the executive and legislative branch perspectives. Prior to consulting, Bianca served as the primary representative to the executive and legislative branches of government for Navmar Applied Sciences Corp., an R&D firm focused on defense and homeland security technologies. In that capacity, Bianca developed strategies for growing the business through congressional advocacy and direct interaction with federal departments. In addition, Bianca worked eight years supporting the Navy as the congressional liaison for multi-billion dollar shipbuilding programs, where she gained extensive experience in formulating and executing congressional strategies. In the last several years, Bianca’s focus has shifted to Department of Energy research programs. She has helped clients position their technologies for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. Bianca earned a BA from the University of Washington and an MA in national security policy from George Washington University. She has also completed courses of study in appropriations law, congressional operations, and advanced congressional budget procedures. Bianca holds a SECRET security clearance.

Christopher Bordeaux has 33 years with the Department of Energy (DOE). He served as senior advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for National Energy Policy and provided the interagency leadership for the Clean Energy Technology Export Initiative. He managed the DOE’s technology validation in the hydrogen program. This resulted in the demonstration of several first-time installations of novel technologies at hydrogen fueling stations and hydrogen power parks throughout the US (2001-2004). He provides our clients access to the DOE.

Rick Carne has 30 years experience as a small business owner, corporate executive, an appointed and elected government official, and consultant. Rick had a successful business career in the retail, consumer products, and utility sectors before entering public service. He spent 17 years as the key advisor to Ohio’s Third District Congressman, Tony Hall. One of the responsibilities in this role was to support technology companies through the appropriations process in different agencies. He supports our clients in developing new technologies by leveraging both state and federal governments. He has strong ties on both sides of the aisle in both the House and the Senate. Rick has a BA in business administration/political science from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.

Doug Freitag has over 25 years experience developing and commercializing advanced materials and related technologies for application to structural, electronic, photonic, bio, and energy devices. For the last 15 years he has supported both industry and government clients in market research, acquisition and alliances, engineering analysis, business development, technology advocacy, and technology commercialization. His technical areas of expertise include microelectronics, device packaging, flat panel displays, MEMS, composite materials, coatings, advanced ceramics, electronic substrates, biotechnology, photonics, advanced manufacturing, and energy generation and storage. Doug has participated in a broad range of federal science and technology initiatives with federal agency/lab relationships throughout the Department of Energy, NASA, the Department of Defense, the Department of Commerce, and the National Science Foundation. Doug has an MS in mechanical engineering from Purdue University.

Meg Irvin has extensive experience at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) where she was the technology development associate for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, program analyst for the Office of Management Assessment and legislative officer for the Office of the Director for the National Human Genome Research Institute. Prior to her work at NIH, she was an AAAS Congressional Fellow for US Senator Mark O. Hatfield, where she tracked and drafted positions on policy and legislative issues and drafted speeches and position papers for biomedical research, health care, the Endangered Species Act, and fisheries. Meg has a DVM from the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University and a BA in biology from the University of Delaware.

Marty Kowalsky started his career as an engineering manager for the automotive industry in Detroit. As a consultant, he helps ITECS’ clients capture research funding and develop procurement opportunities. For the ITECS interfaces, the assignment is usually "selling to the military" for the ITECS material supplier client, where obtaining the military's support and advocacy for a project is required. Marty can operate as either a financial analyst or a purchasing agent. Marty is a graduate mechanical engineer and a graduate architect from The City College of New York.

Lisa Rooney has over 25 years of experience working with state and federal government. She has extensive experience at three research universities in their sponsored research and technology transfer departments. She also has outstanding contacts in the Department of Energy, the USDA, and several national labs and has developed teams of business, university partners, and government agencies to launch a variety of technologies. She has supported ITECS clients for several years in pursuing opportunities in these areas. She has a law degree from Capital University Law School and a BA in sociology from The Ohio State University.

Paula Stevenson, PhD, has extensive experience working in several National Science Foundation (NSF) centers. She has spent the last 10 years at the College of Engineering at Ohio State as program director for the NSF’s Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC) on Affordable Nanoengineering of Polymer Biomedical Devices. She has also served as the Education Director for the NSF Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Program on Molecular Engineering of Microdevices and Administrator for the NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Advanced Polymers and Composite Engineering. Paula has a PhD in civil and environmental engineering and geodetic science and a BS in engineering physics with a specialty in electrical engineering from The Ohio State University.

Joe Turnham works as a consultant, program manager, and governmental affairs specialist for ITECS. Joe, a native of Alabama, is a 1981 graduate of the School of Business at Auburn University. Joe has an extensive and diverse network of business and governmental contacts throughout the US, especially in state governments. Joe works with Fortune 500 companies, non-profits, and start-ups as a strategic consultant on a range of issues such as securing federal funding/permits, lobbying, new project development, site location, crisis resolution, and PAC development. He works both in Washington, DC, and throughout the states with local governments and with economic development authorities.

In addition, ITECS has a strong partnership with Strategic Marketing Innovations, Inc. Below are some of the key staff that support our initiatives.

P J Dougherty is a member of Helios Strategies, a new business unit of Strategic Marketing Innovations (SMI), created to provide a range of services to clients and financial institutions with the goal of driving investment into the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors. The firm also helps shape the policy landscape to make new energy firms viable and prosperous. PJ brings more than 15 years of federal service at the Department of Energy (DOE) to SMI. Having previously served in positions at the DOE, including deputy chief of staff in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, acting director of the Wind and Hydropower Division, and senior advisor in the Office of Policy and International Affairs, he brings experience in a wide range of advanced energy generation technologies, including wind, hydro, geothermal, and solar, and the new water power R&D program established in 2007. PJ most recently served as the national director of Wind Powering America, a DOE program designed to accelerate the market penetration of wind technology.

Paul Gay has 14 years of experience as a senior policy and political adviser on Capitol Hill. Paul most recently served as deputy legislative director for Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, President Pro Tempore and Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. In that position, Paul was one of the Senator’s floor staff and gained extensive experience in securing funding for congressionally directed projects. He also worked on energy matters and climate change legislation, as well as agriculture, space, telecommunications, and transportation policy. Previously, Paul was deputy chief of staff for Rep. Brian Baird from Washington State. Paul specialized in energy issues during the West Coast power crisis of 2000-2001. Paul also oversaw all appropriations matters and handled the Congressman’s duties with regard to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Paul served as legislative director for Rep. Rick Boucher of Virginia, Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee. Paul was responsible for all of Mr. Boucher’s appropriations requests, as well as work on defense, agriculture, and transportation issues. Paul earned a BA in history and political science from Radford University and an MA in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia.

Ted Lynch formed Strategic Marketing Innovations (SMI) following a 25-year career in advanced materials development. As the former technical director of an advanced composite materials company, Ted understands the benefits and pitfalls of working with the federal government. Ted was responsible for $195 million in composites sales and his vast experience acquiring and successfully managing federal contracts makes him the perfect advocate for SMI's high-tech clients. Ted has a BA in astronautical engineering from the United States Air Force Academy and an MA in nuclear engineering from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. His education and decades of hands-on experience have shaped the SMI philosophy of thoroughly exploring all the technical implications of new technologies.

Proposal Writing Expertise and Researchers

Tim Baker has worked with both businesses and universities helping them develop and execute business strategies, process reengineering, and develop funding strategies. He has worked with such clients as Compaq; HP; Dr. Pepper/7Up; Penzoil/Quakerstate; Keebler; Avaya; Caterpillar; and SAP. Tim graduated magna cum laude with a BBA in Management Information Systems from Texas Tech University.

John Banisaukas specializes in government contracts program management and administration. John has a dual BS degree in chemistry and mathematics from Baldwin-Wallace College. He has a broad background and over 39 years experience in advanced composite materials with Cytec Engineering Materials, BP Amoco, and Union Carbide. During his various roles and capacities, he was also responsible for administrative and technical management of government (Department of Defense) contracts worth in excess of $25 million as well as external customer and internal manufacturing technical support for all grades of carbon and graphite fiber-based composite products. He is the author or co-author of more than 40 standardized methods, procedures, and technical publications in the field of testing and characterization of carbon fibers and engineering composite materials. John served six years as the chairman of the Suppliers of Advanced Composite Materials Association (SACMA) Technical Affairs Steering Committee and is a member of several professional organizations. He supports ITECS in securing funding for their clients and helping clients execute their contracts.

Larry Cravey has over 30 years of experience as an environmental scientist. He has worked in a corporate environment and as a consultant to industrial, commercial, and regulatory clients in the US, Asia, and Europe. He holds a BS in management science from Limestone College in Gaffney, SC. Cravey has operated and maintained air, meteorology, and water monitoring networks and conducted numerous compliance and due diligence assessments. As a supervising scientist in Duke Power Company’s Environmental Services Section, he managed a group of engineers, scientists, and technicians who provided environmental monitoring and support services for the nuclear and fossil fuel departments. As a member of the ITECS team, he has edited proposals and is supporting the development of internal procedures and policies.

Laura Bordeaux has worked for the government for a variety of agencies ranging from the US Small Business Administration, the US Department of State, and NASA. Her experience includes an internship for the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. She has also assisted the Military and Civil Defense Unit (MCDU) and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in developing and presenting a Civil and Military Coordination (CIMIC) course. Laura contributed to presentations and course materials, designed and maintained the applicant database, and communicated with participants worldwide. Her responsibilities included handling emergency communications for MCDU aid in disaster-stricken countries, attending UN hearings and meetings on current disasters, and preparing presentations for MCDU meetings. Laura has a BA in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia.

Patti Gosman has an Associate’s Degree in liberal arts. She has a been licensed real estate agent for over 20 years and a licensed associate broker for the past two, generating over $1 million in sales on an annual basis. She specializes in residential sales, including relocation, e-marketing, and buyer’s brokerage. She recently joined ITECS as a research consultant, using her expertise in marketing and excellent communication skills to assist in gathering the requisite market research required for ITECS.

Joanna Floyd has a law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law and a BS in biology for the University of South Carolina. She has worked in a variety of positions in technology transfer at Clemson and the University of South Carolina. Joanna will work with the ITECS research team.

Pam Hurley, PhD, founder and president of Hurley Write, Inc., has a varied background in developing and teaching writing skills. She has taught writing in academia, including Duke University, The George Washington University, and The University of North Carolina, and in various industries and companies. Pam started her business in 1988 teaching scientific writing at a small contract research organization; she has since expanded her courses to technical and business writing, and has taught at various engineering companies, pharma and drug development firms, and government agencies. In addition, Pam has developed online courses, which are used by various organizations, such as The National Institutes of Health, to help their staffs hone their writing skills. Pam has published various articles related to writing. Many of the companies that Pam has taught in also hire her to write and/or edit their professional documents, including reports and user manuals. She also conducts individual coaching in many of these same firms, both onsite and online. Pam is supporting ITECS in proposal writing.

Gary Kapit earned a BS in computer engineering from the University of Miami. During this time he was a member of a team that built an autonomous robot designed to navigate a field while picking up and sorting objects on a board. He also was a team member on the College of Engineering Scholarship Golf Tournament. He has recently graduated and is supporting ITECS in setting up its IT systems and is conducting market research.

Karrie Miller has over 20 years of business management and writing experience. Building on her experience in advertising and corporate communications, she founded LogiQuill Communications, a business writing service company. Her writing portfolio includes proposals, resumes, advertising copy, general communications, and medical report preparation including transcription services. Karrie has a BA in mass communication from the University of South Florida.

Paula Stevenson, PhD, has extensive experience working in several National Science Foundation (NSF) centers. She has spent the last 10 years at the College of Engineering at Ohio State as program director for the NSF’s Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC) on Affordable Nanoengineering of Polymer Biomedical Devices. She has also served as the education director for the NSF Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Program on Molecular Engineering of Microdevices and Administrator for the NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Advanced Polymers and Composite Engineering. Paula has a PhD in civil and environmental engineering and geodetic science and a BS in engineering physics with a specialty in electrical engineering from The Ohio State University.

Deidre Torre has a BA in environmental science from the University of Virginia. She has five years of experience performing a wide range of consulting tasks including report preparation and field research relating to projects falling under NEPA, CWA, ESA, RCRA, CERCLA, and other state and local governances. Her experience includes working on large municipal projects including airport expansions, roadway construction, and educational facility improvements. Deidre has a proven record of establishing good rapport with both clients and agencies to achieve conflict resolution and obtain project objectives.

Burr Zimmerman, PhD, graduated with a doctorate in chemical and biomolecular engineering from The Ohio State University. He has extensive experience capturing funds for a variety of economic development and technical grants at the federal and state level. He also has managed technical and commercial grant programs. His technical expertise includes chemicals, biotechnology, manufacturing, advanced materials, alternative energy, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals.

Government Contract Management

Alan Ayers is the founder of Strategic Innovation Group LLC, which helps companies align their R&D and innovation to best exploit accelerated profitable growth. He is also president of Integrated Dual-use Commercial Companies (IDCC), a consortium of Fortune 1000 high-technology firms dedicated to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of federal government procurement and R&D interaction with commercial firms. Alan retired from Energizer Battery, Inc. as a senior manager of External Technology. He was accountable to source outside products and capabilities, provide strategic technology and business planning, and obtain government funds in support of Energizer’s R&D objectives.

From 2004 through 2006 at the Industrial Research Institute, Alan chaired the Research-on-Research Committee, which develops leading-edge practices, tools, and techniques to improve technological innovation in industry. In addition, Alan has chaired the Radical Innovation Subcommittee since 2001 in cooperation with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Babson College, which led to a new book, Grabbing Lightning: Building a Capability for Breakthrough Innovation. He is currently a chair for the Level 5 Innovation Subcommittee, which is exploring emerging practices at leading edge innovative companies and has authored several articles on innovation.

Alan has a BS in chemistry from St. Lawrence University and an MBA with honors from Baldwin-Wallace College.

John Banisaukas specializes in government contracts program management and administration. John has a dual BS degree in chemistry and mathematics from Baldwin-Wallace College. He has a broad background and over 39 years experience in advanced composite materials with Cytec Engineering Materials, BP Amoco, and Union Carbide Corporation. During his various roles and capacities, he was also responsible for administrative and technical management of Government (Department of Defense) contracts worth in excess of $25 million, and he functioned as external customer and internal manufacturing technical support for all grades of carbon and graphite fiber-based composite products. He is the author or co-author of more than 40 standardized methods, procedures, and technical publications in the field of testing and characterization of carbon fibers and engineering composite materials. John served six years as the chairman of the Suppliers of Advanced Composite Materials Association (SACMA) Technical Affairs Steering Committee and is a member of several professional organizations. He supports ITECS in securing funding for clients and helping clients execute their contracts.

Richard Maresca is focused on handling all administrative and legal aspects of contract and grant instruments with US government, particularly the military branches, and the state of Ohio. He has interfaced with, and reported to, federal and state government funding agencies. He has managed relationships with for-profit, non-profit and academic institutions, such as Wright State University, University of Dayton, The Ohio State University, Georgia Tech University, Johns Hopkins University, Edison Materials Technology Center, Boeing, SAIC, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Pratt & Whitney. He has been responsible for handling all contract administration and legal affairs, especially contracts involving state or federal funding, for the Dayton Development Coalition family of companies: Dayton Development Coalition, Inc.; Development Research Corp.; Development Projects, Inc.; National Composite Center; Miami Valley Economic Development, Ltd.; North Central Campus for Emerging Technologies; and the Dayton Campus for Advanced Materials Technologies. He acts as the principal point of contact with technical monitoring for fiscal and legal personnel at the Ohio Department of Development for numerous Ohio Third Frontier grants to DDC, DPI, DRC, NCC and NCC-ET. Rich has a BA from Dartmouth College and a law degree from Cornell University.

Phil Smith, PhD, is a technology consultant with broad experience in scientific research, new technology development, and writing and managing government proposals. He has published numerous white papers and government grant proposal requests for The Ohio State University, where he earned his PhD in physics; Traycer Diagnostic Systems; and other high-technology clients. He serves as the director of scientific research for Traycer Diagnostic Systems, where he manages federal projects and budgets designed to commercialize record-performing detector and array architectures for sub-millimeter wave imaging. He is well versed in conducting early stage technology investigations and evaluating monetization potential for clients. He is a frequent presenter and publisher in the scientific community.

Paula Stevenson, PhD, has extensive experience working in several National Science Foundation (NSF) centers. She has spent the last ten years at the College of Engineering at Ohio State as program director for the NSF’s Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC) on Affordable Nanoengineering of Polymer Biomedical Devices. She has also served as the education director for the NSF Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Program on Molecular Engineering of Microdevices and administrator for the NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Advanced Polymers and Composite Engineering. Paula has a PhD in civil and environmental engineering and geodetic science and a BS in engineering physics with a specialty in electrical engineering from The Ohio State University.

ITECS Administrators & Advisors

Valerie Delmonico provides administrative support for Susan Ward and Lisa Rooney. Valerie was formerly an assistant director for the Engineering Experiment Station at The Ohio State University. At the Experiment Station, she collaborated with support staff to assist and oversee the proposal submission process for state and federal agencies and the private industry sector. She served as a liaison between engineering departments and funding streams to negotiate terms and conditions consistent with university guidelines regarding intellectual property and conflict of interest policies. Valerie also served as a proposal coordinator and office administrative assistant before being promoted. In these roles, she prepared budgets and paperwork for proposal submission and provided administrative support to the associate director and the Experiment Station staff. The last published records for the Engineering Experiment Station indicate annual successful awards of approximately $125 million. Valerie has a BA in business management/marketing from Capital University.

Tom Eppich is the chief financial officer (CFO) for ITECS. He has over 35 years of accounting, finance, CPA, and CFO experience. Tom currently provides CFO services to over a dozen companies in the central Florida area. Previously, he was an audit partner with Ernst & Young, a CFO of over six different companies, including one with annual revenues exceeding a billion dollars; co-owned his own office furniture dealership, which was profitable each year of ownership; and was a vice president of a turnaround restructuring consulting company for over 10 years. Tom has a BS degree in business administration from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

Barbara Felton held a broad range of experience ranging from insurance adjuster, to auditor, to executive recruiter for Travelers Insurance and Bradly and Morris. She joined ITECS in May 2004 both in an administrative role and a marketing function. In 2009 she moved into sales where she has been instrumental in delighting our clients by providing the right service at the right time. Barbara has a BS in psychology and sociology from East Texas State.

Sue Kirchner has over 15 years of experience in marketing and branding. She is founder and managing partner of Identity 3.0, a brand consulting firm that specialized in helping business leaders define and strengthen their brands. Working with a variety of clients experiencing diverse branding challenges, Sue understands the brand and marketing management issues that occur as a company grows and needs to move into the next stage of its business growth. Sue supports our marketing effort.

Nan O’Connor has been a business coach for the last 10 years with a focus on dramatically increasing the survival rate of small businesses. She is a master certified coach (MCC) and is trained as both a business and a personal coach. Nan has worked for Jack Morton, a public company in the motion picture and film industry, and owned a public relations and communications business for 15 years. Nan has a degree from Emory University. She has been working with Susan and the team to help develop and implement strategies to expand the business.

Lisa Rooney is the director of operations for ITECS. She has been supporting ITECS clients for several years. She has extensive experience at three research universities in their sponsored research and technology transfer departments. She also has outstanding contacts in the Department of Energy, the USDA, and several national labs. She has developed teams of business, university partners and government agencies to launch a variety of technologies. She has a law degree from Capital University Law School and a BA in sociology from The Ohio State University.

Bettina Slusar was a corporate senior vice president at SunGard Data Systems, overseeing the program responsible for SunGard’s top clients. Bettina took on this role as one of three operating officers reporting to the CEO in April 2001, becoming the highest ranked woman in SunGard with revenue responsibilities of over $1 billion. Bettina was the managing director of “Steps on Broadway,” the largest professional dance studio in the world and chair of the Board of Extended Dance Company. She is currently a trustee for the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park, a member of the executive committee for the Brown University Class of 1986, and a team leader for the hot lunch program provided by Church of our Savior. Bettina has a BA from Brown University. She is director of sales for ITECS.

Christine Van Steen graduated magna cum laude from Long Island University with an MA in public administration with an emphasis on health care administration. Her coursework involved extensive research in public policy as it pertains to healthcare issues. She completed a thesis examining the political process involved in the creation of public policy as it pertains to Oregon's Death with Dignity Act. Her projects completed with ITECS over the past two years include identifying government funds for research in markets that range from health care, to agricultural, to materials, to alternative energy, to defense and homeland security applications. Christine publishes the itecsinsider blog, which receives over 8,000 hits per month. Christine recently accepted the position of office manager for ITECS.

Brendan Ward graduated with honors with a dual degree in communication and psychology from the University of Miami. He worked on various marketing jobs with Village Voice Media and Coconut Grove Art Festival. Over the last two years Brendan held a variety of management roles with Abercrombie and Fitch, where he set up systems, managed the flagship store, and recruited and trained associates. Brendan joined ITECS in July 2009 as director of marketing. In this role he focuses on developing marketing campaigns, implementing social networking, improving marketing collateral, setting up virtual systems, and generating sales leads.

Susan Ward, PhD, is a performance-oriented executive with over 20 years experience in business and technology development. While in industry, Susan held a variety of positions in technology management and has created and led organizations in North America, Europe, and China that supported businesses ranging in size from $33 million to over $5 billion. In 2001, Susan founded ITECS. Since then, Susan and her team have secured more than $100 million in government funding and assisted in more than $500 million in successful technology product introductions for for-profit companies, universities, and non-profit companies. Susan has a PhD in physical organic chemistry from New York University and is the president of ITECS.