The dedicated team of professionals at the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship (AMBCE) helps to ensure the successful execution of the center's initiatives.
Janet Strimaitis Managing Director, Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship jstrimaitis@babson.edu
781-239-5023
In her current role as Managing Director, Janet leads the team that is responsible for all of our co-corricular student entrepreneur programs; two applied longitudinal global research studies, the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) and the Successful Transgenerational Entrepreneurship Practices (STEP) Project; and the Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference. Janet joined Babson in 2003 to expand the Symosium for Entrepreneurship Educators to a global delivery model. Prior to joining Babson, she had her own company through which she organized and implemented more than thirty international conferences in the USA, Europe and Japan. She has an MBA from Babson and an MS from Virginia Tech.
Marcia Cole works closely with the leaders and the members of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Consortium in the US and overseas. Marcia manages the GEM website (www.gemconsortium.org), the GEM publications, the GEM Organizational Meetings along with routine daily operations. She has been employed at Babson College since 1995. Marcia has Bachelor’s in Literature from Michigan State University and a Master’s of Fine Arts in Writing from Vermont College.
Kerrie Hourihan Administrative Assistant, Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship khourihan@babson.edu 781-239-5621
Kerrie joined the Blank Center at Babson in January of 2008. She supports the Managing Director and coordinates Blank Center communications and activities. Prior to coming to Babson, she worked in marketing and advertising for a natinal real estate company and general office administration for a family dental practice.
Robert Nason Coordinator, The STEP Project rnason@babson.edu 781-239-4420
Robert Nason joined the AMBCE in 2004 as an intern at the Institute for Family Enterprising. In this role he is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations and coordinating all events and initiatives of the research project. Through his involvement in STEP he is extending his knowledge and experience in the family business field and his current research interests including stakeholder theory, resource based view and performance in family firms. Robert graduated cum Laude from Wheaton College (IL) with a B.A. in International Relations and German. He is now in the evening MBA program at Babson.
Jennifer MacDonald Program Assistant, Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference (BCERC) jmacdonald2@babson.edu 781-239-3984
Jen joined the Blank Center in November 2005. She assists with all aspects of the BCERC conference, maintains the BCERC website and manages the distribution of Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, the annual publication of the BCERC conference proceedings.
Prior to joining Babson, Jen worked at Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. and Fidelity Investments. She is a graduate of Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT.
Georgia Papavasiliou Manager, Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference papavasiliou@babson.edu 781-239-4992
Georgia has been with Babson College since 1987 and was the Program Coordinator for the Babson Entrepreneurial Exchange and the Administrator for the Babson Entrepreneurial Review until April 2001. From 1991 to 2001, she also coordinated Babson's business plan competitions for both undergraduate and graduate students.
In 2001, Georgia assumed the role of Program Coordinator for the Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference, (BCERC) and Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research. BCERC is an annual international conference and premier scholarly forum for entrepreneurial research. Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, published every year, contains the proceedings of the conference and is the most comprehensive collection of empirical research papers on entrepreneurship.
Sarah is responsible for promoting Babson's Academic Centers and building the Babson brand globally around entrepreneurship, global management, and women's leadership. Prior to Babson, Sarah worked at Northwestern University where she successfully launched a regional business development center/incubator for women entrepreneurs starting new ventures, Center for Women Entrepreneurs in Technology (CWET). Prior to working at Northwestern, Sarah held jobs in strategic marketing and communications at three start-up companies in the Boston area. Sarah has a BBA in Marketing from the College of William & Mary and an MBA from Babson College.
Stephanie Viera Academic Division Coordinator – Entrepreneurship sviera@babson.edu 781-239-4420
Stephanie first joined Babson in 2006 in an administrative role at the F.W. Olin Graduate School at Babson College. After a brief absence, Stephanie returned to Babson and joined the Arthur M. Blank Center as the Academic Division Coordinator. In this role, Stephanie is responsible for managing the front office, working with division faculty members and assisting Division Chair, Dr. Candida Brush.
Stephanie holds a Bachelors Degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management and a Diploma in Events and Conventions Management. Prior to joining Babson College, she worked extensively in the hospitality industry in Canada and the United States planning conferences and events, catering and hotel management.
Gautam joined the Blank Center in June 2009. He serves as a key member of the team responsible for enhanced programming for student and alumni entrepreneurs. His primary responsibilities include evaluating current programs and suggesting event re-design and implementation, as well as budgets, database management, website information & marketing/promotion for all events.
Gautam graduated cum laude from Babson's MBA program in May 2009 and was a Graduate Leadership Award recipient. As a student, he held leadership positions at various clubs and also worked at the MBA Admissions office as a Graduate Assistant. He holds a Masters Degree in Economics, a Bachelors Diploma in Management and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electronics Engineering. Prior to Babson, he worked for about four and a half years in the insurance, telecom and manufacturing sector in India in Project Management and Consultative Sales roles.
