Leadership

Dave Brenner

Dave Brenner is the President and CEO of Innovation Park. He is an accomplished entrepreneurial executive, with nearly 30 years of experience in leading successful start-up companies, acquisitions, and partnerships. His background includes founding and serving as managing partner of IdeaWorks, an incubator and accelerator firm in Grand Rapids, Mich., that helps early-stage entrepreneurs transform innovative ideas—especially those related to technology or medical or consumer products—into marketable enterprises. Prior to IdeaWorks, Dave worked for Amway Corp., the last two years as founder and president of Amway Ventures, Inc., which developed and rolled out independent business ventures. His professional experience also includes management positions at Kelloggs, Johnson and Johnson, and Procter and Gamble. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, and has been active with Notre Dame’s IrishAngels network since its inception in 2000. He has also taught entrepreneurship classes in the Mendoza College of Business since 2005.

Theresa Sedlack

Theresa Sedlack is Innovation Park’s Private Sector Engagement Director. She brings almost 10 years of experience working with entrepreneurs, market experts, and investors throughout the Notre Dame family. Prior to joining Innovation Park, Theresa was executive director for Fish Taco Ventures, a seed-stage accelerator that presents events and manages funds that serve as catalysts for investment in Notre Dame entrepreneurs. She also served as venturing programs manager for Notre Dame’s Gigot Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. In this role, she helped create and led many of the major programs in the Gigot Center, including the formation of the IrishAngels network, the annual McCloskey Business Plan competition, and the NASDAQ training program offered in connection with the competition. Her professional background includes eight years working at Procter and Gamble. She teaches the M.B.A. venture capital class in the Mendoza College of Business. Theresa received both her undergraduate and MBA degrees from Notre Dame.

Ann Hastings

Ann Hastings is Innovation Park’s Marketing Manager. She brings a wealth of experience in public relations, media relations, integrated marketing and event planning to the Park’s activities. Prior to joining Innovation Park, Ann helped plan and implement public relations campaigns at Weber Shandwick Worldwide, a global public relations firm. Her clients included companies such as Kraft, Unilever, MARS, McCormick & Co and Microsoft. A native of South Bend, Ind., she received her undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, and an M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications from Loyola University Chicago’s Graduate School of Business.

Natalie Stahl

Natalie Stahl is Innovation Park’s Facilities Administrator. A recent addition to the Notre Dame family, her varied background in creative arts, copywriting, program design and entrepreneurship adds depth and organizational skill to the work of Innovation Park. Before managing her own freelance design business, her background extends to work in local advertising agencies and marketing departments. She received her Bachelor degree from Indiana University Bloomington in English and recently completed an MBA in Marketing through Walden University.