Instructors and Mentors

The eLab instructors and mentors play a critical role in the shaping of our team’s business concepts. The instructors manage the eLab program while we rely on Cornell alumni with business and entrepreneurial backgrounds that can encourage startups to ask the right questions, solve hard problems and battle test their concept in a safe environment.
Michael Annunziata

Michael Annunziata

Mentor

John Balen

John Balen

Mentor

Vladimir Baranov

Vladimir Baranov

Mentor

Maia Benson

Maia Benson

Mentor

Ned Berman

Ned Berman

Mentor

Nichole Bestman

Nichole Bestman

Mentor

Marla Beyer

Marla Beyer

Mentor

Randy Breitman

Randy Breitman

Mentor

Ian Cairns

Ian Cairns

Mentor

Ludavico Cestarollo

Ludavico Cestarollo

Mentor

Nate Cook

Nate Cook

Instructor

Vanessa Di Frances

Vanessa Di Frances

Mentor

Frank A. DeCosta, III

Frank A. DeCosta, III

Mentor

James Edwards

James Edwards

Mentor

Hunter Friedland

Hunter Friedland

Mentor

Frank Fu

Frank Fu

Mentor

Rob Futrick

Rob Futrick

Mentor

Steven Gal

Steven Gal

Instructor

Peter Georgianna

Peter Georgianna

Mentor

Christophe Gerlache

Christophe Gerlache

Mentor

Jason Guss

Jason Guss

Mentor

Andrés E. Gutiérrez

Andrés E. Gutiérrez

Mentor

Jonah Helmer

Jonah Helmer

Mentor

Delia Hughes

Delia Hughes

Mentor

Erica Iannotti

Erica Iannotti

Mentor

Andrea Ippolito

Andrea Ippolito

Instructor

Stéphane Jean-Baptiste

Stéphane Jean-Baptiste

Mentor

Ghali Jorio

Ghali Jorio

Mentor

Rob Karp

Rob Karp

Mentor

Jamie Kim

Jamie Kim

Mentor

Apoorva Kiran

Apoorva Kiran

Mentor

Adam Kirsch

Adam Kirsch

Mentor

Julie Littauer

Julie Littauer

Mentor

Longsha Liu

Longsha Liu

Mentor

Evan Lodge

Evan Lodge

Mentor

Max Mailman

Max Mailman

Mentor

Paul Martin

Paul Martin

Mentor

Brynne Merkley

Brynne Merkley

Mentor

Clyde McKee

Clyde McKee

Mentor

Alex Meyers

Alex Meyers

Mentor

Elisa Miller-Out

Elisa Miller-Out

Mentor

Serdar Mizrakci

Serdar Mizrakci

Mentor

Anaiza Morales

Anaiza Morales

Mentor

Melissa Musiker

Melissa Musiker

Mentor

David Ngyuen

David Ngyuen

Instructor

Nick Nickitas

Nick Nickitas

Instructor

Ryoko Nozawa

Ryoko Nozawa

Mentor

Merrick Olives

Merrick Olives

Mentor

Caitlin Parrucci

Caitlin Parrucci

Mentor

Gary Perelberg

Gary Perelberg

Mentor

Robert Raczkowski

Robert Raczkowski

Mentor

Greg Ray

Greg Ray

Instructor

Rebecca Robinson

Rebecca Robinson

Mentor

Bob Rosin

Bob Rosin

Mentor

Ken Rother

Ken Rother

Managing Director

Michael Santiago

Michael Santiago

Mentor

Stephen Sauer

Stephen Sauer

Instructor

Marcin Sawczuk

Marcin Sawczuk

Mentor

Sara Schmitt

Sara Schmitt

Mentor

Rich Schneider

Rich Schneider

Mentor

Tom Schryver

Tom Schryver

Instructor

Justin Seliq

Justin Seliq

Mentor

Zach Shulman

Zach Shulman

Mentor

Nadine Signé

Nadine Signé

Mentor

Andrew Smith

Andrew Smith

Mentor

Justin Smithline

Justin Smithline

Mentor

Jason Stowe

Jason Stowe

Mentor

Madalina L. Sucala, PhD

Madalina L. Sucala, PhD

Mentor

Brad Treat

Brad Treat

Instructor

Karen Vishwanath

Karen Vishwanath

Mentor

Mi Yan

Mi Yan

Mentor

Aaron Walls

Aaron Walls

Mentor

Jacob Wright

Jacob Wright

Mentor

Eric Young

Eric Young

In Memory

Todd Zion

Todd Zion

Mentor

eLab carefully selects a limited number of experienced mentors who play a number of roles based on the needs of each individual team. The advisory board helps students in the following ways:

Ask tough questions

Advisory board memebrs ask tough ‘critical path’ questions designed to help our team’s to improve their concepts.

Provide perspective

Advisory board members  provide perspective on issues ranging from the start up process and fundraising, to product development and distribution of equity to employees. They bring their experiences and wisdom to the table to help our teams succeed.

Provide feedback

Advisory board members provide regular feedback on strategy, products, pricing, sales strategy, marketing plans, investor decks, legal factors and many of the other issues that entrepreneurs explore as they undergo their journey.

Interested in becoming an eLab mentor?