New Orleans BioInnovation Center

Aaron Miscenich

President
Aaron Miscenich has a work history tied to entrepreneurship and growth-oriented companies in the Greater New Orleans area.  Working for nine years in the capital industry, Miscenich handled equity investing, alternative finance/mezzanine lending, and senior debt.  Currently Miscenich is the President of the New Orleans BioInnovation Center, a $47 million business incubator that is focused on developing a New Orleans-based bioscience industry centered on university technologies.

Miscenich is also Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship in the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University. With a focus on new business creation and entrepreneurship, Miscenich helps to guide MBA and undergraduate students in the development of financial models and full business plans.

Miscenich holds a B.S. in Physics from the University of New Mexico and an M.B.A. from Tulane University.

Sande Harmon

Executive Assistant
Sande Harmon, a native of New Orleans, has been the Executive Assistant for New Orleans BioInnovation Center since 2008. Along with her administrative duties, she is responsible for coordinating client and visitor meeting activity for the Center.  Sande’s education is in the field of sales and marketing research with an emphasis in office technology.  Her work history includes 10 years in broadcast sales for a CBS affiliate in Florida, and 5 years as a Support Rep for SunGard Corbel, a custom software company.

Jaime Guillory

Controller
Jaime is the Controller for NOBIC.  She has been in the accounting field for over six years, with a special interest in non-profit and construction accounting. Prior to joining the New Orleans BioInnovation Center (NOBIC), she worked as an Accounting Specialist for Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation and Accounting & Purchasing Manager for Shelter Distribution. Jaime holds an MBA from the University of New Orleans College of Business and a BS in Psychology from Southeastern Louisiana University. Jaime is working on a CPA certification, and serves on the Scholarship Committee for the New Orleans Chapter of the American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA).

Jarmell McGill

Facilities Manager
Jarmell McGill has been in facilities management and construction for over ten years with a concentration in electrical and HVAC systems maintenance and operations. He holds a 1st Class Stationary Engineering license through the City of New Orleans. Jarmell’s educational background is in Business Administration and electrical construction. Prior to joining NOBIC Jarmell held the positions of Chief Engineer and Facilities Operations Manager with Dillard University in New Orleans. He was also Interim Assistant Vice President for Facilities Management at Dillard University until the incumbent was chosen.

Jason Doherty

Director of Technology Commercialization
As the Director of Technology Commercialization, Jason Doherty, Ph.D., oversees the technology commercialization program, providing technical assistance and programming aimed at growing the regional knowledge-based economy in Southeast Louisiana. Jason earned his Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Pathology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from North Carolina State University.

Marshall Winters

Entrepreneur in Residence
Marshall Winters, as Entrepreneur in Residence, assists in the area of technology commercialization strategy as well as in identifying placement opportunities for companies within the NOBIC portfolio. Marshall gained his MBA and Masters in Economics from SDA Bocconi School of Management Milan and holds a BA from the University of San Diego.

Amy Dye

Marketing Associate
Amy Dye is a Masters in Business Administration candidate at the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University. As the Marketing Intern, Amy coordinates marketing and communication efforts for the New Orleans BioInnovation Center. Amy holds a B.S. in Mass Communications from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA. In the past, Amy has worked in strategic communications for organizations including the Economist, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Fleishman-Hillard and Marmillion and Company.

Michael Bruckner

Environmental Engineering Intern
Michael Bruckner is currently working on his master’s degree in environmental engineering at the University of New Orleans.  As an intern, Michael assists in technology commercialization and development.  Michael also holds a BS in Biological Engineering from Louisiana State University.  In the past, he has worked on research projects including the development of bioreactors and solar stills. 

Loren Giardina

Loan Program Intern
Loren Giardina is a BS in Finance 2012 candidate at the University of New Orleans College of Business Administration. As an intern, Loren assists in the development and expansion of NOBIF’s Loan Program. Her experience and education are concentrated in financial services administration and real estate, where she is currently in the process of obtaining her Louisiana Real Estate license. Loren also serves as Treasurer of the UNO Finance & Economics Association and is a member of the Risk Management Association (RMA).

Elaine Yi Yang

Loan Program Intern
Elaine Yi Yang is currently working towards her Masters in Risk Management at the AB Freeman School of Business at Tulane University. As an intern, Elaine supports the function of the New Orleans BioInnovation Center’s newly introduced loan program to help fund local start-ups in the area’s bioscience community. In the past, Elaine has worked in talent development for organizations including Nebraska Entrepreneurship Center and actuaries for a product development department in Ameritas Life Ins. Corp. Elaine is now pursuing her FRM certificate & ASA certificate.

Jimmy Grotting

Commercialization Intern
Jimmy Grotting is a M.P.H. candidate in Global Health Systems and Development at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.  At NOBIC, Jimmy assists in technology and commercialization as well as public health applications and research.  Jimmy holds a B.E. in Biomedical Engineering from Vanderbilt University.  Prior to graduate school, Jimmy worked as a programs manager for Operation Smile, Inc. based in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Firaz Akmal

Loan Program Manager
Firaz Akmal has over three years of banking experience where he specialized in loan origination and small business acquisition.  Prior to his career in banking, he attended Eastern Mediterranean University in the Republic of Cyprus where he earned his bachelor degree in business administration.  He is currently responsible for development of New Orleans BioFunding (NOBIF), a recent addition to the New Orleans BioInnovation Center.  Firaz is also an MBA candidate at Loyola University where he expects to graduate in 2013.

Brian Hasselfeld

Commercialization Intern
Brian Hasselfeld is a M.D. candidate at Tulane University’s School of Medicine.  As a commercialization intern, Brian focuses on business plan and financial model development.  Brian holds a B.S. in Computer Science, with additional majors in Economics and Mathematics from Vanderbilt University.  Previously, Brian spent three years at Deutsche Bank in New York City as an investment banking analyst, working on debt, equity, and equity-linked financing transactions as well as mergers and acquisitions.