Skip to main content
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 for more information or learn how to get involved with the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship.

University of Washington
Michael G. Foster School of Business
227 Dempsey Hall, Box 353223
Seattle, WA 98195
Tel: 206-616-0734 | Fax: 206-616-3915
[email protected]
Map / Directions

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

We are a top 10 entrepreneurship program in the United States, offering students the best preparation, experiences, and network for their successful careers as entrepreneurs. We reach across campus to engage students in our classes, programs, and activities, and spin out 10 to 20 new student-led companies each year.

Values

  • We are inclusive, supporting entrepreneurship/entrepreneurial thinking for all students who seek us out. We embrace the passionate risk-takers with a vision, but we also provide a basic understanding for those who are entrepreneurially curious.
  • 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
Interim Director
206-685-9868
Lauren Brohawn
Lauren Brohawn
Assistant Director, Alaska Airlines Environmental Innovation Challenge
206-685-3813
Terri Butler
Terri Butler
Assistant Director, Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge
206-685-5538
Emer Dooley
Emer Dooley
Pat Hughes Faculty Fellow in Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneur-in-Residence
Website
Alex Eli
Assistant Director, Undergraduate & Graduate Programs
Dempsey Hall 227
206-685-5669
Suresh Kotha
Suresh Kotha, Ph.D
Research Director
Chair, M&O Department
206-543-4466
Website
Flora Ku
Flora Ku
Operations Manager
206-685-8612
Sarah Studer
Assistant Director, Dempsey Startup Competition and Jones + Foster Accelerator
206-616-3742
Charles Trillingham
Charles Trillingham
Assistant Director of Communication, Marketing and Public Relations
206-616-3691

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

Chuck Barbo, Catalyst Storage
Marc Barros, Moment
Fran Bigelow, Fran’s Chocolates
Bill Bromfield, Fenwick & West
Arthur Buerk, Montlake Capital
Troy Cichos, Madrona Venture Group
Ralph Derrickson, Carena
Emer Dooley, Foster School of Business
Jeff Dossett, Impinj
Terry Drayton, Livible
Geoff Entress, Voyager Capital and Founder’s Co-op
Mike Fridgen, Madrona Venture Labs
Mary Haggard, Xealth
Lisa Hjorten, Marketplace Sotheby’s International Realty
Ron Howell, WRF Capital
Vikram Jandhyala, UW CoMotion
Craig Kinzer, Kinzer Partners
Suresh Kotha, Foster School of Business
Bill McAleer, Voyager Capital
TA McCann, Rival IQ
Elizabeth Morgan, IBM
Liz Pearce, LiquidPlanner
Jesse Proudman, Blue Box, an IBM Company
Amber Ratcliffe, The Decipher Group
Dave Roberts, former CEO, PopCap Games
Jeff Roh, IntuitiveX
Michael Schutzler, WTIA
Craig Sherman, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Tom Seery, RealSelf
Steve Singh, Concur
Adrian Smith, Ignition Partners
David Smukowski, Whidbey Equity Group
Ben Straughan, Perkins Coie
Sara Weaver, Ogborn Investments
Shelley Whelan, Keeler Investments

Emeritus Board Member

Neal Dempsey, Bay Partners