Our strong advisory board is made up of subject matter specialists with backgrounds in entrepreneurship, education, strategy, and global business management. Expertise, of the board, spans many business structures from start-ups to fortune 500 companies. We are very fortunate to have a body of professionals that bring their expertise, guidance, and business insight.
Dr. Rosibel Ochoa is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Technology Partnerships at the University of California, Riverside. She had served as Associate Director of the Office of Technology Licensing and Manager of the Industry Contracts Group at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Before joining Georgia Tech, Rosibel worked at Motorola’s Energy Systems Group (ESG) and at MeadWestvaco as a research engineer, developing materials for advanced lithium polymer battery technology and carbon-based super capacitors. She received a PhD and MS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Louisville.
Taj Ahmad-Eldridge is the Senior Director for Investment at Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) focusing on sustainable startups that want to change our world, focusing on energy, transportation, and sustainable circular economy startups. He is also a board member (Venture Jobs Fund) at Homeboy Industries, a nonprofit that provides hope, training, and support to formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated men and women allowing them to redirect their lives and become contributing members of our community.
Dr. Angelov Farook serves as the Chairman of the California Workforce Development Board and has been an appointee of the Governor on the board since 2013. As Chairman, he leads the largest workforce development system in the country under the vision of the Governor & Secretary of Labor. Angelov earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley and both an Executive Master’s degree and Doctorate of Policy, Planning and Development degree from the University of Southern California.
Dr. Vipin Gupta (PhD, Wharton School) is an expert in international management, strategy in a global context and also teaches study abroad business in China, India, Middle East and Europe courses at CBPA. Dr. Gupta is renowned for his contributions to the science of culture, sustainable strategic management in the emerging markets, managing organizational and technological transformations, and entrepreneurial, global and women’s leadership. He has been on the board of several international conferences and has been an invited speaker and keynote speaker at more than 40 nations around the world.
Rob Moran is the Economic Development Manager for the Riverside County Economic Development Agency. He is responsible for implementing business attraction, retention, and workforce development programs throughout Riverside County. He works closely with several of the county’s Economic Development Corporations, cities, chambers of commerce, and Small Business Development Centers. He is a graduate of California Baptist University with a Master of Public Administration and Cal Poly Pomona University with a degree in Business Administration.
Dr. Frank Lin received his PhD in Management Information Systems with minors in computer science and educational psychology and an MBA in Management Information Systems from State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo). As an Associate Dean for international programs at CBPA, he also leads several short-term studies abroad programs to Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, India, France, Germany, UAE, and Costa Rica. Prior to his academic pursuit, Dr. Lin worked for Fujitsu Co. as a software and system engineer.
Stacey Allis serves as project coordinator for TAACCCT grant consortium and co-producer of the Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards program. She brings a wealth of multidisciplinary creative communications expertise in cultivating entrepreneurial enrichment throughout campus and in connection to the professional business community. She draws from her extensive background as creative director operating her own successful design agency.
Steve Massa has over 25 years of information and technology experience across both public and private sectors and is currently working on a variety of strategic projects which foster a robust and inclusive innovation ecosystem. Steve is passionate about helping entrepreneurs find investors, customers and resources, and serves as an executive board member and mentor for Riverside Excite, a technology incubator in Riverside, CA. Steve is also the Executive Director for SmartRiverside, a 501c3 non-profit organization comprised of public, private and educational stakeholders.
Marsha (Marci) Fones serves as Senior Director of MFones Consulting and Director of Human Resources at Medweb. A highly intuitive, analytical leader, she engages the hearts and minds of the people, aligning them with the processes and the success vision of the organization. Marci is a Senior HR infrastructure and business change leader with a strong record of HR structural deployment and business transformation enterprise wide. Applying active listening, analytic and intuitive skills, she has achieved business objectives worth millions identifying, decreasing inefficiencies, and increasing commitment for excellence.
