Workshop #6: Speakers

Speakers at UTEN Workshop #6, 18-20 November 2009.

Tara Branstad, Associate Director, Center for Technology Transfer and Enterprise Creation (“CTTEC”), Carnegie Mellon University.

Tara Branstad has been with Carnegie Mellon University’s Center for Technology Transfer and Enterprise Creation for four years; first as a Licensing Manager, then as Director of Enterprise
Creation, and now as the Associate Director of the Center. In her current capacity, she is responsible for IP management, licensing, facilitating the creation of spin-off companies and assisting the Director in managing the operational and administrative activities of the Center. Tara works primarily with faculty in Robotics, Biomedical Engineering, and ICES (the Institute for Complex Engineered Systems). She also works with faculty in Computer Science, the Mellon College of Science, and the Tepper School of Business.

Tara began her professional career in technology transfer at the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Technology Management. She then worked at Innovation Works, a seed stage funding and technology-based economic development organization in Pittsburgh, and subsequently, as an independent consultant to organizations and companies in the start-up space. Tara received a BA in Biology from the University of Virginia, an MHA from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Graduate School of Business.

Tim McNulty, Associate Vice President of Government Relations at Carnegie Mellon University.

In this role he facilitates the University’s collaboration with federal, state and local government partners. Previously McNulty was Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives and focused on the development projects in Carnegie Mellon’s major research areas of cyber security, energy technology and robotics.

McNulty joined Carnegie Mellon in January 2003 after 8 years in the Administration of Governor’s Tom Ridge and Mark Schweiker-serving in the Department of Community and Economic
Development as Executive Deputy Secretary and Acting Secretary and as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor for Technology Initiatives. McNulty directed the design and implementation of Governor Tom Ridge’s Digital and Life Sciences Greenhouses, the Governor’s $2 billion investment in biotechnology and participated in Governor Ridge’s success in restoring commercial shipbuilding at the Philadelphia Shipyard. McNulty led the Pittsburgh Regional Revitalization Initiative in 1994 for the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. He is a member of the board of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Tobacco Settlement Investment Board and the board of Innovation Works. McNulty also volunteers as a board member of a number of technology and education related organizations, including the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation, the SciTech Spectacular, Asset Incorporated, and the Pennsylvania Learning Network.

McNulty holds a bachelors degree in Political Science from Indiana University and a Masters of Arts in Public Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Mary Beth Shaw, Assistant General Counsel within the Office of General Counsel of Carnegie Mellon University.

Mary Beth Shaw has been Assistant General Counsel within the Office of General Counsel of Carnegie Mellon University since Sept. 2005. Shaw is responsible for handing the legal matters of Carnegie Mellon in the areas of corporate, commercial, tax, international, financial, technology transfer and real estate law. Prior to joining Carnegie Mellon, Mary Beth Shaw was a corporate and tax attorney at a large law firm based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for more than ten years. Prior to attending law school, Shaw practiced public accounting for a number of years at a large, international public accounting firm.

Mrs. Shaw received her J.D. degree from the West Virginia University College of Law, where she graduated with highest honors and was Editor-in-Chief of the West Virginia Law Review. Mrs. Shaw also received her B.S. in B.A. degree from West Virginia University, where she majored in Accounting and graduated summa cum laude. In addition to holding a license to practice law in both West Virginia and Pennsylvania, Shaw is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA).