Advisory Board

Advisory Board Members:

Co-chair Anne Petersen

Research Professor, University of Michigan, Center for Human Growth and Development, Founder and President, Global Philanthropy Alliance
Anne C. Petersen has significant experience in organized philanthropy; with four years as Associate Director of the Health Program at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; nearly a decade at the WK Kellogg Foundation as Senior VP Programs with responsibility for all programs in the US, Latin America, and southern Africa; and decades of experience as a consultant or advisor to US and non-US foundations. She was also a university researcher for 25 years, an academic administrator for 14 years, and spent 3 years a President-appointed, Senate-confirmed federal agency executive.

Co-chair Drew Senyei

Drew Senyei, M.D., is managing director at Enterprise Partners Venture Capital, where he leads the life science practice. He has served on over 25 public and private boards, including Ascenta Therapeutics, Celladon, Celula, Complete Genomics, Ophthonix, TargeGen and Scoperta. Prior to joining Enterprise Partners in 1987, Dr. Senyei was a physician and entrepreneur. While still a medical student at Northwestern University, where he earned his M.D., Senyei developed a drug delivery device and licensed it to Eli Lilly. All told, he holds 20 patents in healthcare-related products and services. Dr. Senyei sits on the Council of Advisors at UCSD's Jacobs School of Engineering and UC San Diego's Health Sciences Advisory Board.

Advisory Board Members

Mark Anderson,
Chief Executive Officer, Strategic News Service
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Mark Anderson is CEO of Strategic News Service® (SNS), the first subscription-based newsletter on the Internet. He is also the Founding Chair of the Future in Review (FiRe) Conference, labeled “the best technology conference in the world” by The Economist. Anderson is the founder of two software companies, a hedge fund, and the Washington Technology Industry Association "Fast Pitch" investment forum, Washington's premier technology investment conference. Anderson’s Technology Alliance Partners (TAP) consulting firm provides assistance to software, telecom and related technology companies in developing and implementing technology-informed business strategies. Anderson serves as an advisor to OVP Venture Partners, Merrill Lynch TechBrains, Crowd Trust and Africa’s new mPedigree network, and he has provided board-level strategic advice to global technology firms including Orange, T-Mobile, Cap Gemini, Symantec, and HP. Anderson is also the founder and chair of the IP Protection Alliance. [bio]

Greg Brandeau,
Former CTO, The Walt Disney Studios
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Greg Brandeau is co-author of Collective Genius: The Art and Practice of Leading Innovation, to be published in 2014 by Harvard Press. From 2009 to 2012, he was Chief Technology Officer of The Walt Disney Studios. In that role, he was responsible for developing and implementing technology strategies in areas as diverse as film making, marketing, and distribution. Previously, Brandeau was senior vice president of technology for Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar, which he joined in 1996 as the studio’s director of technology. After five successful years, he left the studio to broaden his expertise within other areas of technology. Brandeau served as chief information officer for the biotech startup, Perlegen Sciences. Earlier in his career, he held other senior positions in Silicon Valley, including as director of operations at NeXT, and director of software at Mountain Network Solutions. He returned to Pixar in 2004, Brandeau was responsible for systems and technology used in creating computer-animated feature films that allowed Pixar to remain on the cutting edge of filmmaking. Brandeau earned his BSEE and MSEE from MIT and his MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. [bio]

Vinton G. Cerf,
Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist, Google
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Vinton G. Cerf has been Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist of Google since 2005. He is responsible for identifying new enabling technologies and applications on the Internet and other platforms for the company. Prior to Google, Cerf was vice president of technology strategy for MCI, and worked at the Corporation for National Research Initiatives, DARPA, and on the Stanford University faculty. Widely known as one of the "Fathers of the Internet," Cerf is the co-designer of the TCP/IP protocols and the architecture of the Internet. In 1997, Cerf and Robert E. Kahn received the National Medal of Technology from President Clinton for founding and developing the Internet. The two were also recipients of the ACM Alan M. Turing award in 2004, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005, the prestigious Japan Prize in 2008, and The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering in 2013. Between 2000 and 2007, he served as chairman of the board of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), and founding president of the Internet Society. Cerf earned his Ph.D. in computer science at UCLA. [bio]

Martha Dennis,
Independent Board Member; Advisor to Emerging Technology Ventures, Community Volunteer
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Dr. Martha G. Dennis is Principal at Gordian Knot, an advisory firm to emerging technology businesses in San Diego. Formerly she was a Venture Partner with Windward Ventures that invested in early-stage Southern California technology companies. Previously Dennis was Co-founder and President and CEO of WaveWare Communications, Inc., which sold software for wireless handheld connectivity. Prior to that Dennis co-founded Pacific Communications Sciences, Inc., a San Diego wireless communications equipment company that was acquired by Cirrus Logic. Earlier Dennis led software development at Linkabit Corp. as Assistant Vice President. She currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Netsapiens, Inc., as Lead Director of Space Micro, Inc. and as a Director of Mundoval (NASDAQ: MUNDX). In the volunteer sector Dennis currently serves as Chair of the Dean’s Council of Advisors of the UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering, Secretary of the Board of inewsource, and member of the Dean’s Advisory Council of UCSD’s Rady School of Management. She has led several not-for-profit boards including La Jolla Music Society, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, the Bishop’s School, The Charter One Hundred, and Athena, and she is past Chair of the City of San Diego Science and Technology Commission and past President of San Diego’s telecom industry association. She has also been a trustee of the Tech Coast Angels, San Diego Museum of Art, Harvey Mudd College, the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, the San Diego Foundation, the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, and the YMCA of San Diego County.

Raouf Y. Halim,
CEO, Mindspeed Technologies, Inc.
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Raouf Y. Halim has been Chief Executive Officer of Mindspeed Technologies, Inc., since June 2003. He has also been a director of Mindspeed since January 2002. Mr. Halim was the senior vice president and CEO of the Internet infrastructure business of Conexant from February 2002 to June 2003, and the senior vice president and general manager of Conexant’s network access division from January 1999 to February 2002. Prior to 1999, Halim was VP, President and General Manager of the Network Access Division of Rockwell Semiconductor Systems. Mr. Halim received an M.S. in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a B.Sc. in communications and electrophysics from Alexandria University.

Linda A. Hill,
Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School
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Linda A. Hill is the Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School and faculty chair of the Leadership Initiative. She is the author of Becoming a Manager and co-author of Being the Boss: The 3 Imperatives of Becoming a Great Leader. Professor Hill has a book forthcoming on leading innovation. Hill has authored or co-authored numerous HBR articles, including “Winning the Race for Talent in Emerging Markets.” Professor Hill sits on the Boards of Directors of State Street Corporation, Eaton Corporation, and Harvard Business Publishing. She is a trustee of the Art Center College of Design and Bridgespan Group. She is a former member of the Board of Trustees of The Rockefeller Foundation. She is on the Advisory Board of the Aspen Institute Business and Society Program. [bio]

Jessie J. Knight, Jr.,
Chairman and CEO, San Diego Gas & Electric
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Jessie J. Knight, Jr., is chairman and chief executive officer of San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). He became CEO in April 2010. Previously, Knight served as executive vice president of external affairs for SDG&E’s parent company, Sempra Energy, overseeing all communications and community relations activities, government relations, as well as regulatory and international affairs. Before joining Sempra Energy in 2006, Knight served for seven years as CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, which represents 2,800 companies with more than 400,000 employees. From 1993 to 1999, he served as commissioner for the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the agency with regulatory oversight for California’s energy, telecommunications, railroad, transportation and water industries. Knight’s earlier employers included Dole Food Company, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. He earned his MBA from the University of Wisconsin. Knight chairs the board of the ESET Foundation, which is committed to fostering community collaboration in addressing cyber and societal challenges.

Julie Meier Wright,
Strategic Advisor Public Policy; Sr Fellow, CA Council on Science & Technology; Sr Fellow, US Council on Competitiveness
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Julie Meier Wright served as Chief Executive Officer of San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation for 14 years until her retirement in 2011. Prior to her work for the EDC, Ms. Wight served as California’s first Secretary of Trade and Commerce and a member of Governor Pete Wilson’s Cabinet, where she enacted wide-ranging business reforms, expanded the State’s international presence and oversaw ten trade and investment offices in Asia, Europe and South Africa, and helped pull the state out of its deepest recession. She was responsible for an aggressive approach to economic development, promotion of business expansion, and a new pro-business attitude in California. Her career focus has always been on public affairs and strategic marketing. She serves on the Board of Directors of Sharp HealthCare and the Dean’s Council of Advisors of the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego. Ms. Wright serves as advisor to the Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology, and previously served as an advisor to the STS forum in Kyoto, Japan and Strategic Advisor and Consultant to the California Council on Science & Technology. She is a Senior Fellow of the US Council on Competitiveness and a Senior Fellow of the California Council on Science & Technology.

Peter G. Preuss,
Chair, UC San Diego Foundation Board of Trustees
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Peter Preuss earned his M.S. degree in Mathematics from UC San Diego and completed most of his doctoral work before founding Integrated Software Systems Corporation (ISSCO), a San Diego-based company, in 1970. ISSCO grew into one of the world’s leading, independent developers and suppliers of visual information systems software to create high-quality graphics for business, government, scientific, engineering and project management applications. The company was purchased by Computer Associates in 1986, one year after Preuss founded The Preuss Foundation, specializing in fostering communication among cancer researchers. He was also a founder and long-time director of the National Computer Graphics Association. Preuss is a past president of UC San Diego’s Alumni Association, and he was appointed by Gov. Pete Wilson to a 12-year term as a UC Regent, ending in 2008. He currently serves as Chair of the UC San Diego Foundation Board of Trustees, and together with his wife Peggy, provided a critical gift toward the creation of the UC San Diego Preuss School for middle- and high-school students from low-income families. [bio]

Stanton J. Rowe,
Corporate VP for Advanced Technology, and Chief Scientific Officer, at Edwards Lifesciences
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Stanton J. Rowe is Corporate VP for Advanced Technology, and Chief Scientific Officer, at Edwards Lifesciences. He joined the company in 2004 when Edwards acquired Percutaneous Valve Technology, a company Rowe helped found and which he led as president and CEO at the time of the acquisition. Previously, Rowe was corporate vice president of business development and strategic planning for Datascope, and vice president of business development for Johnson & Johnson’s Interventional Systems division (JJIS), responsible for the company’s coronary stent development efforts. At JJIS and the related Cordis Corporation, Rowe held a variety of positions heading the company’s business development, advanced technology, worldwide clinical research, and marketing groups. Rowe joined Cordis after having held several positions in product management for various medical device companies. He is on the board of directors of both Remon Medical Ltd. and Biomerix Corp. Rowe received his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama.

David J. Schramm,
Former President and CEO, Maxwell Technologies, Inc.
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David J. Schramm joined San Diego-based Maxwell Technologies, Inc., as President and CEO, and was appointed a director, in July 2007. Previously, he spent the bulk of his business career in a series of senior management and engineering positions with General Motors. He started his career with the Packard Electric Division of GM, and spent three years in the United Kingdom as Managing Director of the company’s units in England and Ireland. Later Schramm was president and CEO of a wholly-owned subsidiary of GM based in California: Packard Hughes Interconnect, a manufacturer of highly reliable interconnect components for the aerospace industry. From 2001 to 2006, he was president and CEO of Arrowhead Products Corp., a leading supplier of specialty systems to the aerospace and automotive industries. Just prior to joining Maxwell, he was president and CEO of EADS North America Defense Test and Services, the U.S. subsidiary of EADS, the corporate parent of Airbus. [bio]

Roberto Padovani,
Former CTO, Qualcomm, Inc.
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Roberto Padovani is executive vice president and Fellow at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. He served as the company's chief technology officer from 2002 to 2011. Prior to joining Qualcomm in 1986, Dr. Padovani was involved in the design and development of satellite communications systems, secure video systems and error-correcting coding equipment at M/A-COM Linkabit for two years. Over the past 25 years at Qualcomm, he has been involved in the research and development of digital communication systems with particular emphasis on Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) wireless technology systems. His research and inventions in this field – including more than 80 patents on wireless systems – led to the worldwide standardization and commercialization of CDMA technology for second- and third-generation cellular systems, including CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, an IP-based, high-speed wide-area wireless data technology. A member of the National Academy of Engineering since 2006, Dr. Padovani received the IEEE Eric. E. Sumner Award in 2009 “for pioneering innovations in wireless communications, particularly to the evolution of CDMA for wireless broadband data.” He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Andrew J. Viterbi,
President of the Viterbi Group, LLC, and Professor Emeritus (since 1994) in UC San Diego’s Jacobs School of Engineering
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Andrew Viterbi is President of the Viterbi Group, LLC, and Professor Emeritus (since 1994) in UC San Diego’s Jacobs School of Engineering. In the 1950s, Viterbi graduated from MIT and worked for Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory before earning his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at the University of Southern California (USC). Viterbi’s work on error-correcting codes led to what has come to be known as the Viterbi Algorithm, a groundbreaking mathematical formula for eliminating signal interference in a wide variety of communications channels. Today, the Viterbi Algorithm is used in all four international standards for digital cellular telephones, as well as in data terminals, digital satellite broadcast receivers and deep-space telemetry. Viterbi joined the UCLA faculty in 1963 and taught courses in information theory and digital communications. In 1967, with UCLA colleague Leonard Kleinrock and UCSD professor Irwin Jacobs, Viterbi created Linkabit, a company that eventually provided technology for defense communications satellites, before merging with M/A-Com. In 1985, Viterbi and Jacobs left M/A-Com Linkabit to found Qualcomm to develop satellite communications and digital wireless phones. At Qualcomm, Viterbi and colleagues developed Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), the basis for all competing cell-phone technologies today. [bio]

Warren Washington,
Senior Scientist in the National Center for Atmospheric Research
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Warren Washington is Senior Scientist in the National Center for Atmospheric Research. He is an internationally recognized expert on atmospheric science and climate research, and specializes in computer modeling of Earth's climate. In 2010, Washington was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Obama, and over the years, he served as a science advisor to former presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton. Washington earned his Ph.D. in meteorology from Pennsylvania State University before joining NCAR as a research scientist in 1963. In collaboration with Akira Kasahara, he became one of the first developers of groundbreaking atmospheric computer models, which use fundamental laws of physics to predict future states of the atmosphere, thus helping scientists understand climate change. As his research developed, Washington worked to incorporate the oceans and sea ice into climate models. [bio]

Telle Whitney,
Former President and CEO, Anita Borg Institute
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Telle Whitney is the former President and CEO of the Anita Borg Institute. She held senior technical management positions with Malleable Technologies and Actel Corporation, and co-founded the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference. Whitney serves on the advisory boards of Caltech’s Information Science and Technology, and of Illuminate Ventures. She has received numerous awards including: ACM Distinguished Service, the Marie Pistilli Women in EDA Achievement, Women’s Venture Fund Highest Leaf, and San Jose Business Journal Top100 Women of Influence. She was named in 2011 to the Fast Company Most Influential Women in Technology List. In 2012 she received the A. Nico Habermann Award for her role in founding and sustaining NCWIT. Whitney received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Caltech. [bio]

Emeritus Board Members

Forest Baskett, Venture Partner, New Enterprise Associates

John Seely Brown, Independent Co-Chairman of the Deloitte Center of Edge Innovation

Robert W Conn, President, The Kavli Foundation

Deborah Estrin, Professor of Computer Science, Cornell Tech (New York City)

Dennis Lettenmaier, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington

Duane Roth, President and CEO, CONNECT (deceased)

Philip M. Smith, Advisory Board Co-Chair 2000-12 (deceased)

Joesph Sussman, Professor of Engineering Systems and Civil and Environmental Engineering, MIT

Kathi Vian, Director, Ten-Year Forecast, Institute for the Future