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Partnership Portal

Meet Our Team

Partnerships Staff

Research universities are a rich source of talent and R&D resources, but navigating through them to forge a university-industry partnership can be complex. The Office of Partnerships at NC State helps organizations save time and money by providing expert assistance and strategic connections. Here are a few of the pathways to partnering with NC State:

  • Find faculty with subject-matter expertise in areas as diverse as advanced analytics and smart fibers.
  • Connect with highly-qualified students for internships, co-ops and full-time hires.
  • Launch businesses built around the licensing of NC State technology and science.
  • Acquire state-of-the-art testing services and lab equipment needed to develop your technologies.
  • Maintain a physical presence on NC State’s award-winning Centennial Campus for real-time access to top talent and resources.

In other words, think of us as your front door to academic resources — resources that can often significantly benefit your business and accelerate innovation.

Mark Schmidt, Ph.D.

Associate Vice Chancellor, Partnerships

Mark serves as the associate vice chancellor where he oversees NC State’s strategy for engaging with corporate, government and nonprofit partners, including the 70+ partnerships on Centennial Campus. He is also chair of the Conservation Technology Information Center. Previously, Mark held a 22-year career at John Deere, where he led the company’s university partnerships strategy, as well as a range of external public and private stakeholder relationships and partnerships. Mark earned bachelor degrees in landscape architecture and agronomy from Purdue University, a master’s degree in agronomy from Purdue University and a Ph.D. in crop science from the University of Illinois.

Dawn Mason, Ph.D.

Assistant Vice Chancellor, Partnerships

As assistant vice chancellor for partnerships, Dawn provides leadership support for the unit’s core partnership development function — working to expand collaborations across disciplines while helping bring in new strategic opportunities. Prior to joining NC State, she held a variety of leadership positions within Eastman spanning 20 years. Most recently, Dawn oversaw Eastman’s global external innovation initiatives, including serving as the primary liaison for the company’s partnerships with universities and leading the Eastman Innovation Center on Centennial Campus. Dawn earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Missouri and her Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from Texas A&M. She is a Fellow of the American Chemical Society.

Marie Bauschka

Executive Assistant

Marie provides broad business and financial administrative support for the team in order to help build effective university-industry partnerships. She also serves as the executive assistant to the associate vice chancellor for partnerships. Marie earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Arizona.

Keisha Demps

Director, Partnerships

Keisha assists in leading the partnership development team, while building strategic relationships with industry and government organizations. Working with current and prospective corporate partners, she fosters collaboration opportunities with faculty and students. Keisha earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona. 

Heather Gately

Research and Partnership Services Associate

Heather is responsible for supporting the partnership team and providing resources to partners. She also develops outreach initiatives and events to connect partner employees with NC State assets. Heather earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from James Madison University.

Brian Hawkins, Ph.D.

Program Director

Brian serves as program director, providing strategic planning, development and support for multidisciplinary programs in global health, life sciences and sustainability. Previously, he served as research faculty at Duke University and was the associate director of technology development for Duke’s Center for Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Infectious Disease (WaSH-AID). With a 20+ year career in research across several disciplines, he is a co-author on more than 50 research papers, reviews and book chapters, a co-inventor on three awarded patents, and served as an associate editor for Water and Environment Journal. Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Georgia Tech and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Arizona. He has also completed postdoctoral training at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Morgan High

Director of Marketing and Communications

Morgan leads marketing and communications initiatives to build awareness of Centennial Campus and its public-private partnerships, as well as NC State as a strategic partner for industry and government. Previously, she oversaw marketing and communications for Wake County Economic Development. Morgan earned her bachelor’s from East Carolina and master’s degree from NC State.

Amy Lubas

Director of Strategic Projects

Amy manages strategic projects to catalyze collaboration between NC State, industry and government. She leads NC State’s Smart Cities Initiative, manages NC State’s strategic partnership with Eastman, and oversees the Daugherty Endowment. Amy holds her bachelor’s degree from NC State and MBA from the University of Alabama.

Nikki Olive

Partnership Developer

Nikki is responsible for developing collaborations with industry and government partners. By connecting industry partners with faculty and students, research opportunities and Centennial Campus resources, Nikki helps organizations advance their goals through an NC State partnership. Nikki earned her bachelor’s degree from NC State and MBA from Campbell University. 

Hannah Sullivan

Partnership Developer

Hannah is responsible for cultivating and sustaining relationships with industry and government partners. She connects current and prospective partners with NC State faculty and student talent to promote collaboration and drive research and innovation. Previously, Hannah served as a strategy and communications consultant for academic institutions and mission-driven businesses. She holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism. 

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