Leaders
In May 2021, Karl R. LaPan was appointed director of UF Innovate | Accelerate, where he oversees two world-class business incubation facilities unified under one entrepreneurial support organization. Operating one of the top Super Hubs in the United States, he leads the management and operation of a nine-time award-winning entrepreneurial support organization comprising the 97,000-sf mixed-use Hub facility and the 32,500-sf rural Sid Martin facility. In 2021, UF Innovate | Accelerate was designated one of 20 InBIA Soft Landings programs.
Printable version of Karl’s bio sketch is available here.
From 2000 to 2021, he was the first President and CEO of the NIIP/NIIC in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he led the globally award-winning entrepreneurial support organization and launched tech-based economic and entrepreneurial programs to serve the under-represented segments in Northeast Indiana. In 2020, the NIIC won one of the two top industry awards – the InBIA Dinah Adkins Award and the Entrepreneur Center of the Year: Mixed Use Award. Under LaPan’s direction, entrepreneurs through the NIIC launched 499 products, applied for 196 patents (most were granted), created over 2,351 jobs at an average wage rate of $55,994 per FTE, and secured over $100.4 million in grants and investments.
From 1994 to 2000, he served as the President and CEO of an advanced biometric identification company, NBS Imaging Systems headquartered in Fort Wayne, IN. However, his career started in 1986 at General Electric where he worked in six different strategic business units of GE, including Aircraft Engines, Power Systems, Marine Services, Appliances, Corporate Headquarters, and Financial Services. He is also a program graduate of GE’s prestigious Financial Management Program (FMP).
Karl is an active advisory board member of the College of Business (COBAB) at his alma mater Franklin Pierce University, the current President of the Florida Business Incubation Association (FBIA), and an adjunct instructor in Entrepreneurship at Franklin Pierce University. He also serves on the board of BioPoly LLC, an orthobiologics early-stage company. Additionally, he is a community advisory board member for the InBIA Ecosystem Builder Leadership Project (EBLP).
Karl’s professional interest areas are healthcare, innovation/entrepreneurship, and customer experience. Previously, he was an associate faculty member in the MBA program at IPFW, and an Executive-in-Residence/Adjunct Faculty member in the MBA program at Taylor University. Additionally, he served on the Taylor MBA Business Advisory Board, IPFW Doermer School of Business Advisory Council & IPFW ETCS Industrial Advisory Board, Manchester University President’s Leadership Council, and the IU School of Medicine-Ft. Wayne Advisory Board. After 18 years of service, Karl retired from the Board of and Secretary of Physicians Health Plan (PHP), a physician-owned and managed not-for-profit HMO, and, before its sale, a former board member of IAB Financial, a $1B community bank, where he chaired the Bank’s Enterprise Risk Management Committee. Additionally, he served on the board of directors of the Indiana Chamber and was on an advisory board for the Ball State University Entrepreneurship Center. He is the recipient of the IPFW Chancellor’s Award and the InBIA President’s Award of Excellence.
LaPan received his Bachelor of Science, Business Management, Summa Cum Laude from Franklin Pierce University. He obtained his Master’s Degree in Human Resource Development from American University in Washington, DC, and is a member of the Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society. He has completed extensive, executive education programs in non-profit leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation at Stanford University, Harvard University, Babson College, the University of Notre Dame, and the Disney Institute.
Karl is a frequent trainer and speaker in the incubation industry. He is the co-author of InBIA’s publication Best Practices in Action. His latest book was published in 2021, Entrepreneurial Hacks: Practical Insights for Business Builders. Together with these two books, he has published five books in total.
Jennifer manages the day-to-day operations of UF Innovate | Accelerate at The Hub in order to facilitate a supportive and encouraging environment for aspiring entrepreneurs to grow. She works with UF Accelerate leadership to meet occupancy and revenue goals; implement programs, new initiatives, and special projects; monitor client performance; meet social media metrics; and establish operational goals and objectives that align with the overall strategic plan. She oversees facilities, reception, financial and contractual functions, and event management for The Hub.
Jennifer is an experienced manager with a history of working in both the private and public sectors of sales, hospitality, real estate law, finance, and accounting. She has been with The Hub since 2016 and was part of the team when The Hub was awarded the 2018 International Business Innovation Association (InBIA) Global Mixed-Use Incubator of the Year award.
Jennifer obtained her accounting degree from Fisher School of Accounting at UF and is currently the Treasurer of the Florida Incubation Association. She holds an Incubation Management Certificate from the InBIA as well as both Fiscal and HR certificates from UF, and was a Leadership Gainesville Graduate (Go Green!).
Elliott works on programs and progress for startup companies in UF Innovate | Accelerate at Sid Martin Biotech in Alachua.
Before joining UF Innovate, Elliott was a business development intern for ReliOx Corporation, a resident startup at Sid Martin Biotech; a legal assistant for Robert S. Griscti, Esq., assisting him in his practice of white-collar criminal law, criminal defense, federal and state litigation, professional licensing and appeals; and volunteered with the North Central Florida Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
He earned his BA in history with a minor in teaching English as a second language (2013) and MBA focusing on entrepreneurship and marketing (2017) from UF. He was a Bob Graham Center for Public Service Student Fellow and Poe Center for Business Ethics Education and Research MBA Fellow.
Accelerate Staff
Lissette is The Hub’s accounting extraordinaire. She prepares monthly invoices for Hub clients and maintains the sub-ledger accounting system. Lissette processes Pcard transactions, expense reports, accounts payable, and monthly reconciliations reports. She assists the incubator manager with financial reports and monthly auditing as well as provides support for all internal and external Hub events.
Before joining The Hub in 2017, Lissette worked in many industries including a law firm in Miami and some of the best food and beverage establishments in Chicago. She has many years of experience in customer service, sales, marketing/social media, billing, and administration.
Lissette graduated from Florida International University in Miami with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She has completed her Fiscal Management Certificate at UF and is bilingual, speaking both English and Spanish.
Jennifer manages the day-to-day operations of UF Innovate | Accelerate at The Hub in order to facilitate a supportive and encouraging environment for aspiring entrepreneurs to grow. She works with UF Accelerate leadership to meet occupancy and revenue goals; implement programs, new initiatives, and special projects; monitor client performance; meet social media metrics; and establish operational goals and objectives that align with the overall strategic plan. She oversees facilities, reception, financial and contractual functions, and event management for The Hub.
Jennifer is an experienced manager with a history of working in both the private and public sectors of sales, hospitality, real estate law, finance, and accounting. She has been with The Hub since 2016 and was part of the team when The Hub was awarded the 2018 International Business Innovation Association (InBIA) Global Mixed-Use Incubator of the Year award.
Jennifer obtained her accounting degree from Fisher School of Accounting at UF and is currently the Treasurer of the Florida Incubation Association. She holds an Incubation Management Certificate from the InBIA as well as both Fiscal and HR certificates from UF, and was a Leadership Gainesville Graduate (Go Green!).
Courtney oversees the maintenance, housekeeping, and general upkeep of the almost 100,000 square-foot technology incubator, UF Innovate | Accelerate at The Hub. She manages the inventory of building assets, space allocation, as well as accounts payable approver. She also serves as the liaison between the resident clients at The Hub and UF departments such as Information Technology, Facilities Services, and Environmental Health and Safety. Courtney interfaces with clients on a daily basis to solve problems, manage space, and create growth opportunities. She also handles event management, including room layouts, catering management, and scheduling. She manages data input and data management for the contact management system for The Hub.
Before joining UF Innovate in 2017, Courtney was the Facilities and Administration Manager at Naylor Association Solutions located in Gainesville. She was responsible for a 60,000 square foot commercial building, served as executive assistant to the CEO, as well as coordinated events. Prior to relocating to Gainesville, Courtney worked for 13 years in the print media industry in a variety of roles including media buying, sales, and production.
Courtney earned her B.S in advertising from the University of Florida.
In May 2021, Karl R. LaPan was appointed director of UF Innovate | Accelerate, where he oversees two world-class business incubation facilities unified under one entrepreneurial support organization. Operating one of the top Super Hubs in the United States, he leads the management and operation of a nine-time award-winning entrepreneurial support organization comprising the 97,000-sf mixed-use Hub facility and the 32,500-sf rural Sid Martin facility. In 2021, UF Innovate | Accelerate was designated one of 20 InBIA Soft Landings programs.
Printable version of Karl’s bio sketch is available here.
From 2000 to 2021, he was the first President and CEO of the NIIP/NIIC in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he led the globally award-winning entrepreneurial support organization and launched tech-based economic and entrepreneurial programs to serve the under-represented segments in Northeast Indiana. In 2020, the NIIC won one of the two top industry awards – the InBIA Dinah Adkins Award and the Entrepreneur Center of the Year: Mixed Use Award. Under LaPan’s direction, entrepreneurs through the NIIC launched 499 products, applied for 196 patents (most were granted), created over 2,351 jobs at an average wage rate of $55,994 per FTE, and secured over $100.4 million in grants and investments.
From 1994 to 2000, he served as the President and CEO of an advanced biometric identification company, NBS Imaging Systems headquartered in Fort Wayne, IN. However, his career started in 1986 at General Electric where he worked in six different strategic business units of GE, including Aircraft Engines, Power Systems, Marine Services, Appliances, Corporate Headquarters, and Financial Services. He is also a program graduate of GE’s prestigious Financial Management Program (FMP).
Karl is an active advisory board member of the College of Business (COBAB) at his alma mater Franklin Pierce University, the current President of the Florida Business Incubation Association (FBIA), and an adjunct instructor in Entrepreneurship at Franklin Pierce University. He also serves on the board of BioPoly LLC, an orthobiologics early-stage company. Additionally, he is a community advisory board member for the InBIA Ecosystem Builder Leadership Project (EBLP).
Karl’s professional interest areas are healthcare, innovation/entrepreneurship, and customer experience. Previously, he was an associate faculty member in the MBA program at IPFW, and an Executive-in-Residence/Adjunct Faculty member in the MBA program at Taylor University. Additionally, he served on the Taylor MBA Business Advisory Board, IPFW Doermer School of Business Advisory Council & IPFW ETCS Industrial Advisory Board, Manchester University President’s Leadership Council, and the IU School of Medicine-Ft. Wayne Advisory Board. After 18 years of service, Karl retired from the Board of and Secretary of Physicians Health Plan (PHP), a physician-owned and managed not-for-profit HMO, and, before its sale, a former board member of IAB Financial, a $1B community bank, where he chaired the Bank’s Enterprise Risk Management Committee. Additionally, he served on the board of directors of the Indiana Chamber and was on an advisory board for the Ball State University Entrepreneurship Center. He is the recipient of the IPFW Chancellor’s Award and the InBIA President’s Award of Excellence.
LaPan received his Bachelor of Science, Business Management, Summa Cum Laude from Franklin Pierce University. He obtained his Master’s Degree in Human Resource Development from American University in Washington, DC, and is a member of the Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society. He has completed extensive, executive education programs in non-profit leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation at Stanford University, Harvard University, Babson College, the University of Notre Dame, and the Disney Institute.
Karl is a frequent trainer and speaker in the incubation industry. He is the co-author of InBIA’s publication Best Practices in Action. His latest book was published in 2021, Entrepreneurial Hacks: Practical Insights for Business Builders. Together with these two books, he has published five books in total.
Allen provides maintenance services for both UF Innovate | Accelerate facilities, The Hub and Sid Martin Biotech. He maintains and repairs each building in order to support our innovation ecosystem. Allen obtains proposals from private vendors and coordinates with UF Facilities Services, PD&C, contractors, and program clients on a wide range of building projects. He prepares offices and labs for new startups, manages bio-hazard waste activities, performs water and autoclave testing, and resolves various building issues.
Before joining UF Innovate | Accelerate, Allen worked at the UF Warrington College of Business. He has also been a business owner and was the facilities maintenance engineer for Le Triomphe Golf Club, a private golf club that hosts the PGA Tour’s Louisiana Open each year.
Brittany provides general administrative functions for UF Innovate | Accelerate at Sid Martin Biotech, including handling reception, scheduling meetings, coordinating calendars, preparing correspondence, and providing routine office support.
Before joining the team at Sid Martin, Brittany worked in customer service and multiple medical environments.
Brittany has earned two A.S. degrees from Santa Fe College, one in health information technology and the other in cardiovascular technology.
Lexi is responsible for providing direct and indirect support to assist resident and external clients of UF Innovate | Accelerate. Her duties include organizing and implementing entrepreneurial programming and connecting clients with local and program resources such as business development assistance, access to shared and support services, and networking/entrepreneurial community building. She plans and executes events such as Innovation Hours, Lunch & Learns, vendor shows, and workshops for both the Hub and Sid Martin Biotech. She strives to build a service culture of excellence for our entrepreneurial community through surprise and delight and memorable experiences for our clients.
Lexi graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Tourism, Event, and Recreation Management with a specialization in Tourism and Hospitality Management. Post-graduation, she spent a year with the Kraft Heinz Company as a Planters Brand Specialist driving the Planters NUTmobile across the country! Before joining the UF Innovate | Accelerate team in 2022, Lexi worked in several managerial roles in the hotel industry at brands including Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt.
Kat Scott is a full-time Administrative Assistant for UF Innovate | Accelerate at The Hub. Her primary duties include greeting clients (current and prospective), scheduling conference room bookings, and assisting with the particulars of community management within the incubator. She also provides fresh coffee and refreshments for residents to enjoy throughout the day while they are hard at work developing their technologies.
Before accepting her position as Administrative Assistant in 2021, she worked providing customer service and hospitality in the food industry. Kat studies various disciplines within the realm of visual arts and storytelling and can be often seen jotting down notes and sketches of her own.
Elliott works on programs and progress for startup companies in UF Innovate | Accelerate at Sid Martin Biotech in Alachua.
Before joining UF Innovate, Elliott was a business development intern for ReliOx Corporation, a resident startup at Sid Martin Biotech; a legal assistant for Robert S. Griscti, Esq., assisting him in his practice of white-collar criminal law, criminal defense, federal and state litigation, professional licensing and appeals; and volunteered with the North Central Florida Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
He earned his BA in history with a minor in teaching English as a second language (2013) and MBA focusing on entrepreneurship and marketing (2017) from UF. He was a Bob Graham Center for Public Service Student Fellow and Poe Center for Business Ethics Education and Research MBA Fellow.
Chris is the UF Innovate | Accelerate at Sid Martin Biotech technical services manager. He provides facilities management, laboratory equipment supervision and training, and coordination of laboratory management.
He is a Marine Corps Veteran and holds a bachelor’s of science degree in chemistry from UF. He is a trained analytical chemist and also operates as an independent consultant for analytical testing, drug development projects, and regulatory strategy. In the past, he has worked as a contract researcher and a math/chemistry tutor.
Chris has attended several professional continued education short courses on subjects such as scientific instrument qualification/calibration/maintenance, gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (HPLC and Prep-LC), quality assurance (QA) and internal auditing procedures, mass spectrometry and cell culture.
Outside of his career, he is a proud husband and father as well as an active performer in the UF Classical Guitar Ensemble. He also repairs/modifies/upgrades electric guitars and related musical equipment, and enjoys camping and hiking.
