Meet our Team
ADVISORY BOARD
Amy Sallin
Amy Sallin is director of the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship in the UW’s Foster School of Business. With over 18 years in higher education, her background includes academic marketing, fundraising, relationship building, and program development, both at UW and Portland State University. Amy discovered her passion for entrepreneurship during a stint in Silicon Valley in the early 1980s, and has channeled that interest into helping students grow into entrepreneurs and change-makers. She’s been working with student entrepreneurs and the Seattle startup community for over seven years.
Brad Roberts
Brad Roberts is Senior Vice President and co-head of the Innovation Group at Xinov. Brad has a PhD from the University of Washington’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the synthesis and characterization of transition-metal-doped-oxide semiconductors for use in spin-based electronics. While at UW, Brad also completed a Technology Entrepreneurship Certificate at the Foster School of Business, earned a Washington Research Foundation Capital Gates Foundation Fellowship in Technology Commercialization, and served as president of UW SEBA.
Jeff Chamberlain
Jeff Chamberlain works in Business Development at Seattle-based Pacific Biomarkers, supporting the biotech, pharma, and diagnostic industries in the development of their drug or diagnostic products. Prior to Pacific Biomarkers, Dr. Chamberlain worked for Zwitter Technology as Project Leader and Manager of Business Development. Dr. Chamberlain earned his Ph.D. in Bioengineering at the University of Washington and concurrently obtained the Technology Entrepreneurship Certificate from the UW Foster School of Business and served as president of the UW Science & Engineering Business Association (SEBA).
Drake Glesmann
Drake Glesmann is a Counsel at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, where he focuses on representing emerging companies and entrepreneurs throughout all stages of their lifecycles. He advises clients on formation, venture and growth equity financings, mergers and acquisitions, and other corporate and governance matters.
Clarisse Benson
Clarisse Benson manages the Washington Research Foundation’s portfolio of student and postdoctoral programs. In addition to program oversight, she supports the Director of Grant Programs and Internal Grants Team in areas of grants management, including documentation, review, decision-making, notification, and tracking of outcomes. Prior to joining WRF in 2021, Clarisse worked in finance and operations for Seattle-based nonprofit, ArtsFund. Clarisse has a background in music performance, including a master’s degree and advanced music studies certificate from Carnegie Mellon University. Outside of WRF, she also serves as Director of Finance & Operations for the North Corner Chamber Orchestra, a nonprofit organization that presents immersive, collaborative, and vibrant musical performances throughout the greater Seattle area.
Dan Ratner
​Dan leads the College of Engineering’s academic programs and initiatives to support student success. Dan manages Academic Affairs’ strategic planning, student-oriented educational processes, implementation of ABET processes, and educational innovation as we continue to shift from a two-year to a four-year academic experience. He works closely with key stakeholders both within and outside the UW, such as Washington’s unique network of 34 community and technical colleges.
Passionate about improving the student experience, Dan is strategic, thoughtful, and skilled in moving impactful programs forward within the university. Through his roles in faculty governance and administration, he has been focused on addressing matters of diversity, equity, and access in university admissions policy and practice.













