CIT Announces New Members to the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Authority Board of Directors and CIT Board of Directors
Appointments come from the Governor and General Assembly
November 9, 2015– (HERNDON, Va.) – The Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) announced today the newly appointed members of the CIT Board of Directors and the Board of Directors of its parent authority, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Authority (IEIA).
Appointed by Governor Terry McAuliffe are:
Jonathan Aberman is the founder and Managing Director of TandemNSI, a program funded by the Commonwealth of Virginia and supported by Arlington County to bring entrepreneurs, universities and national security agencies together to accelerate economic development and national security entrepreneurship in Virginia. He is also the founder and Managing Director of Amplifier Ventures, a seed and early stage venture capital organization that focuses on commercialization of federally-funded intellectual property and national security technologies. Amplifier has launched 15 technology-focused businesses with four exits to date. He is also the founder and President of FounderCorps, a Virginia not-for-profit that provides experienced mentors to entrepreneurs throughout the Greater Washington Region.
Bernard Mustafa, CPA, CEO of Pleasant Valley Business Solutions (PVBS), is a highly-respected executive in government contractor circles. Prior to joining PVBS, Mustafa held leadership positions in entrepreneurial firms providing financial and technology consulting services to federal government agencies and commercial clients. Mustafa has over 20 years’ experience in the financial and technology sectors, and served in the United States Army.
Michael Rao has served as President of Virginia Commonwealth University since 2009. Rao leads a national research university with a leading academic medical center that, with nearly 20,000 employees, is the largest employer in the Richmond area and the sixth largest in Virginia. VCU’s annual economic impact in the state is estimated at $3.6 billion and more than 43,000 jobs. This is a reappointment for Rao.
Appointed by the Virginia House of Delegates are:
David Lucien, founder and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of DCL Associates, has been at the forefront in shaping regional and statewide economic development strategies with a particular emphasis on the technology community. He has an extensive background in the information technology industry within both commercial and government sectors. Lucien continues his service as Chairman of the IEIA Board and the CIT Board.
Walter "Duffy" Mazan is the CTO of CourseMaven Inc., which is creating innovations in higher education, from enrollment and credentialing to new partnerships between employers, colleges and students. He is a seasoned serial entrepreneur with 30 years of entrepreneurial and information technology experience.
Christy Tomlinson Morton is the Executive Director of the Virginia Rural Center a partnership of the Center for Rural Virginia and the Council for Rural Virginia. She most recently served as Deputy Director for External Affairs and Policy Development in the Office of Virginia Governor Robert F. McDonnell. Prior to her tenure with the Administration, she worked in communications and public relations for Virginia Natural Gas and in government affairs for Davis Consultants in Richmond, Virginia.
Appointed by the Virginia Senate are:
Dr. Magid M. Abraham is the co-founder of comScore, Inc., and currently serves as the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. He is an entrepreneur and expert on market research, consumer modeling, and information solutions. He has held several executive leadership positions throughout his career, two of which were within companies he founded.
Angela Kellett is the economic development director of Mecklenburg County, Va. A graduate of Longwood University, Kellett has been with Mecklenburg County, Va. Economic Development for 15 years, is a long time member of the Virginia Economic Developers Association, and serves on the Board of the Southside Planning District Commission.
Ed Albrigo, CIT President & CEO, said, “We are honored to welcome these strong leaders to the CIT and IEIA Board of Directors. Their experience and knowledge in economic development, entrepreneurship, investment and company formation will help launch the new research and startups that are seeding the new Virginia economy."
About the Center for Innovative Technology, www.cit.org
Since 1985, CIT, a nonprofit corporation, has been Virginia’s primary driver of innovation and entrepreneurship. CIT accelerates the next generation of technology and technology companies through commercialization, capital formation, market development and revenue generation services. To facilitate national innovation leadership and accelerate the rate of technology adoption, CIT creates partnerships between innovative technology start-up companies and advanced technology consumers. CIT’s CAGE Code is 1UP71. To learn more, please visit www.cit.org. Follow CIT on Twitter @CITorg and add the Center for Innovative Technology on LinkedIn and Facebook.