Melissa Elmore is responsible for assisting in maintaining Georgia Tech Research Corp.’s patent database. Melissa has worked in the intellectual property field since 2013, specializing in U.S. and foreign patent prosecution. Melissa has a B.S. in English Education from Chadron State College. In her free time she keeps bees, chickens, and a teenage daughter.
Michelle Carroll supports a range of accounting functions for the licensing group. She has seven years of accounting experience. Prior to joining Georgia Tech, she worked as an Accounting Manager in the Controller’s Office at Oglethorpe University, where she reported to the Controller and assisted with various accounting and financial reporting responsibilities. Michelle holds a degree in Economics from Oglethorpe University.
Michael joined Georgia Tech after serving in Florida as a Senior Licensing Manager and SBIR/STTR Liaison at a nationally recognized university, where he led the commercialization of intellectual property originating from a National Laboratory and multiple engineering institutes and research centers, executing licenses with companies worldwide. He previously held technology transfer roles at two other leading universities, overseeing patent prosecution and managing extensive portfolios of innovations that resulted in numerous issued patents and copyrights. Earlier in his career, Michael served as Director of Entrepreneurship at a technology park, where he managed a business incubator with wet labs and prototyping facilities, taught the Technology Entrepreneurial Excellence Program, led Mini I-Corps programs, and administered a major innovation grant initiative. He also served as Executive Director for several high-profile incubator programs focused on defense technologies, clean energy, power systems, big data, and cybersecurity. Throughout his career, Michael has worked closely with venture capital firms, angel investors, and private equity groups to help startups secure funding. A practiced entrepreneur, he founded three companies, two of which were successfully acquired, and he has taught business courses at eight universities and co-authored The Virginia Entrepreneur’s Guide.
Kara Ussery is a business development manager with experience in technical communication, market analysis, and research commercialization. She leads marketing and industry engagement efforts for Georgia Tech innovations, translating complex research into clear materials for potential partners. She holds a master’s degree in Technical and Professional Writing from Middle Georgia State University.
Victoria is a patent attorney with over a decade of experience working in university technology transfer. She has both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Computer Science, and a Juris Doctor. A native of Georgia, she has lived all over the country and currently resides in Colorado.
Michael Varon is a senior technology licensing associate with expertise in intellectual property evaluation, patenting, and licensing. He is a registered patent attorney and prior to joining Office of Technology Licensing was a practicing patent attorney within the areas of electrical, software, and mechanical technologies. Before becoming an attorney, Michael researched fluid engineering technology and worked as a desktop support engineer. Michael has a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech and a JD from Emory University.
Tiffany Ross is responsible for post-license maintenance and various accounting matters for the licensing group. Before joining the licensing group, she worked in post-award accounting for sponsored projects and has worked with the Georgia Tech Research Corp.'s accounting team for more than 15 years in a number of roles. Tiffany has a degree in computer science from Georgia Tech and an MBA from Georgia State University.
Madeleine Marietta is a business development manager with a background in biochemistry, healthcare, and business. Prior to starting with Georgia Tech, she served at Carilion Clinic Innovation where she worked to commercialize and license medical innovations. Madeleine also has financial analysis experience from her work with the Student Endowment for Educational Development at Virginia Tech where she assisted in managing one of the largest student run portfolios as an industrial sector analyst. Madeleine holds a B.S. in biochemistry from Virginia Tech.
Kashmira Kulkarni is a senior technology licensing associate with research and development as well as startup experience. She has a robust academic background in the life sciences, specifically in preclinical small molecule therapeutics, precision immunotherapy, and microbiome. Kashmira holds an M.S. in microbiology and immunology and a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from Wright State University. She received her postdoctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Jennifer Minnick is a technology licensing associate with a research background in the physical sciences. Prior to joining Georgia Tech, Jennifer worked at NUtech Ventures, the tech transfer affiliate for the University of Nebraska - Lincoln (UNL). While there, she evaluated innovations stemming from UNL research for their patentability, developed marketing campaigns to promote commercialization of inventions, drafted term sheets and license agreements, and participated in entrepreneurial activities hosted by NUtech and outside organizations. Jennifer holds a B.S. in Chemistry from GC&SU and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Oklahoma State University.