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Foster School of Business


Contact Us – Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship

We welcome community, alumni, faculty and student participation in our programs and center. Please contact us (below) for more information or learn how to get involved with the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship.

Mission

The Buerk Center integrates entrepreneurship into the fabric of the University of Washington, and invests in the students who want to shape the future.

Vision

The Buerk Center is a dynamic, top-ranked entrepreneurship center, offering students robust experiential and educational resources, teaching entre as a life skill to support their growth as entrepreneurs and change-makers in throughout their careers. We reach across campus and the region to engage students in our classes, programs, and activities. The Buerk Center is the primary resource for entrepreneurship for students and faculty across campus and is an indispensable part of both the UW and Seattle entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Values

We are inclusive, supporting entrepreneurship/entrepreneurial thinking for all. We embrace the passionate risk-takers with a vision, but we also provide a framework for those who are entrepreneurially curious.

  • We believe entrepreneurial skills are the necessary tools to help students become successful in their future endeavors, whether as a startup founder, working for an existing company, starting a lifestyle business, or going into the family business.
  • We are the collaborative partner and resource for entrepreneurship support to faculty and staff across campus.
  • We play off the strengths of the University of Washington and Seattle. And we fully engage the entrepreneurial community in what we do.
  • We experiment with new courses, programs, and activities, and build on those that resonate.
  • We make entrepreneurship as real as possible within a university environment.

Arthur W. Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship

Amy Sallin
Amy Sallin
Director
206-685-9868
Lauren Brohawn, M.ED
Lauren Brohawn, M.ED
Assistant Director, Alaska Airlines Environmental Innovation Challenge
206-685-3813
Emer Dooley, MBA/PH.D
Emer Dooley, MBA/PH.D
Arthur Buerk Fellow in Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneur-in-Residence
Website
Alex Eli
Alex Eli
Assistant Director, Undergraduate & Graduate Programs
Dempsey Hall 227
206-685-5669
Suresh Kotha, Ph.D
Suresh Kotha, Ph.D
Research Director
Chair, M&O Department
206-543-4466
Website
Jessica Roberto, PH.D
Jessica Roberto, PH.D
Assistant Director, Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge
206-685-5538
Sarah Studer
Sarah Studer
Assistant Director, Dempsey Startup Competition and Jones + Foster Accelerator
206-616-3742
Charles Trillingham
Charles Trillingham
Assistant Director, Communication, Marketing and Public Relations
206-616-3691
Katherine Wu
Katherine Wu
Operations Manager
Dempsey Hall 227
206-685-8612

Buerk Center Student Staff

Julie Fergus
Julie Fergus
EIC Co-lead
Jake Rhyner
Jake Rhyner
HIC & Dempsey Startup Co-lead
Morgan Schiebel
Morgan Schiebel
Marketing
Ben Vandehey
Ben Vandehey
Finance & Budgeting
Maddy VanSpeybroeck
Maddy VanSpeybroeck
Data Analyst and Dempsey Startup Co-lead

Buerk Center Advisory Board

The Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship Advisory Board connects students, faculty, and staff to Seattle’s thriving entrepreneurial community. Board members offer vital support to the Buerk Center’s programs and curriculum—judging competitions, mentoring, strategic planning, offering financial support, and facilitating opportunities for idea-driven students to build networks that will help them achieve their start-up goals.

See our board members

François Baneyx, UW CoMotion
Chuck Barbo, Catalyst Storage
Marc Barros, Moment
Fran Bigelow, Fran’s Chocolates
Bill Bromfield, Fenwick & West
Arthur Buerk, The Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship
Troy Cichos, Madrona Venture Group
David Coven, Scholarship Junkies
Ralph Derrickson, Bsquare Corporation
Emer Dooley, Foster School of Business
Jeff Dossett, Impinj
Terry Drayton, WayForth
Geoff Entress, Pioneer Square Labs
Mike Fridgen, Madrona Venture Labs
Mary Haggard, Microsoft
Lisa Hjorten, Pacific Edge Properties
Ron Howell, WRF Capital
Craig Kinzer, Kinzer Partners
Suresh Kotha, Foster School of Business
Bill McAleer, Voyager Capital
T.A. McCann, Pioneer Square Labs
Elizabeth Morgan, Slalom
Liz Pearce, Fresh Chalk
Jesse Proudman, Makara
Amber Ratcliffe, Arbor Health Inc
Dave Roberts, former CEO, PopCap Games
Jeff Roh, IntuitiveX
Craig Sherman, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Tom Seery, RealSelf
Steve Singh, Madrona Venture Group
Adrian Smith, Ignition Partners
Tama Smith, Brighton Jones
David Smukowski, Whidbey Equity Group
Ben Straughan, Perkins Coie
Sara Weaver, IAGL

Emeritus Board Member

Neal Dempsey, Bay Partners

General Contact Info

University of Washington
Michael G. Foster School of Business
227 Dempsey Hall, Box 353223
Seattle, WA 98195
Tel: 206-616-0734
[email protected]
Map / Directions