Collaboratory Advisory Council

Cary Conrad ’79 Cyber Security Entrepreneur Cary Conrad is a seasoned business executive specializing in on-demand network services and cybersecurity. With expertise gained at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory, he pioneered the Secure Email service through his company, Message Secure Corporation, which served hundreds of financial institutions before its acquisition by Perimeter Internetworking, Goldman Sachs, and Bessemer Venture Partners—forming SilverSky Inc. In 2007, Conrad played a key role in transforming Integralis AG into a global MSS leader before its acquisition by NTT, where he served as GM of the Americas, overseeing an $80M P&L and leading a global turnaround. He later advised NTT on acquisitions, including the $220M purchase of Solutionary Inc. In 2021, Conrad and Richard Dobrow acquired SilverSky Cyber Security from BAE, successfully leading its transformation into a profitable and growing cybersecurity firm in its fourth year of turnaround.

Tony Denhart EVP, Workforce & Talent, Indiana Economic Development Corporation Tony Denhart joined the IEDC as the executive vice president of talent and workforce in January 2022. Previously he was at GE for 32 years, with more than 30 of those years developing early career talent attraction strategies and engaging with universities to grow recruiting and R&D outcomes. Prior to serving as the University Relations Director for GE, Tony led GE Energy’s Midwest Field Service business unit. In his role with the IEDC, Denhart is boldly building Indiana’s talent pipeline by strategically connecting Hoosier businesses and talent resources including universities, government agencies and resources, as well as community and education stakeholders. Denhart and his team have developed workforce and talent initiatives and pioneered a shared statewide workforce strategy that has helped fuel the record-breaking $79+-billion committed investments the state secured from 2022 through 2024.

Heather Ennis President & CEO, Northwest Indiana Forum Heather Ennis is President & CEO of the Northwest Indiana Forum, a nonprofit dedicated to driving economic growth and investment across the seven-county region. Under her leadership, the Forum’s 130+ members collaborate to foster a strong business climate, create quality jobs, and promote sustainability. Over the past nine years, she has championed regional transformation, focusing on population growth, capital investment, and income expansion. Heather engages at state and regional levels to influence policy and economic initiatives. She serves on the Indiana Economic Development Association Board and Legislative Committee, Metro Chambers Coalition, Indiana Vision 2025+, Indiana Defense Task Force, 21st Century Talent Region, Northwest Medical Board, Autonomous Vehicle Challenge Committee, and is a Champion of Ignite the Region.

Kevin P. McCusker ’02 Director, Compound Screening Biology at PTC Therapeutics Kevin majored in Biochemistry and Humanities at Valpo. Upon graduation, he attended graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley, receiving his PhD in Biochemistry in 2009. After a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco, he joined Edison Pharmaceuticals in 2013 as a Research Scientist, where he focused on the biochemistry of a family of enzymes implicated in pediatric mitochondrial disorders, characterizing the effects of drug molecules on those enzymes to develop treatments for patients suffering from these debilitating diseases. At PTC Therapeutics, he oversees a group of research scientists and manages drug discovery projects across early stages of development. Kevin and his wife Jill (Van Dalen ’00) reside in Hayward, CA and enjoy exploring the many outdoor recreational opportunities in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Anthony Ortiz, P.E. ’07 President, New Insight Engineering LLC Anthony Ortiz is the President of New Insight Engineering LLC, a consulting firm that works with electrical utilities across the country. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Valparaiso University, which he earned in 2007. With nearly two decades of experience in the power industry, Anthony has developed a strong expertise in the design and commissioning of electrical power substations. Anthony has worked on a wide range of electrical projects, from initial design through to full implementation. He has successfully managed engineering teams, overseeing the design and execution of complex electrical projects Anthony is dedicated to delivering high-quality engineering solutions and building teams that consistently exceed client expectations. His extensive background in electrical systems, coupled with his leadership and project management skills, has positioned him as a trusted professional in the power industry.

Keith Stayrook ’94 VP of Pre-Clinical Development & Translation Sciences, Pelagos Pharmaceuticals Keith has over 20 years of drug discovery and development experience. He has led and supported multi-disciplinary drug discovery teams in both pharma and biotech settings pursuing novel small molecule, biologics and RNA therapeutics for the treatment of metabolic disease, neurodegeneration, autoimmune/inflammatory disease and oncology indications. Prior to joining Pelagos , Keith worked at Eli Lilly & Company, where he led preclinical drug discovery programs in endocrine, immunology and musculoskeletal disease areas delivering multiple clinical candidates for clinical development. More recently, Keith served as VP, Biology & Pharmacology with Arch Ventures-based startup Asteroid Therapeutics where he helped build a fully-virtualized drug discovery (VDD) platform leading R&D strategy & management efforts alongside a network of externalized CRO/academic partnerships.

Marie Foster-Bruns VP for Advancement and Strategic Initiatives, Valparaiso University Marie was appointed as the Vice President for Advancement Valparaiso University in March of 2023 where she oversees external relations, development, and advancement services for the university. Through these efforts, Marie leads alumni relations, corporate relations, government relations, community relations, major giving, annual giving, planned giving, and advancement communications. Prior to this role, she served as the President and CEO of One Region for almost two years. Previously, she was the Chief Experience Officer for Purdue Alumni Association in West Lafayette, IN where she led internal and external experiences for teams and over 600K alumni. She has been involved in both public and private sectors to deliver well-rounded strategic leadership that drives business success while enriching the relationships with key stakeholders. She graduated from Purdue University where she earned her BA, MBA, and is currently completing her Ed.D.

Kevin Goebbert, Ph.D. ’03 Associate Provost and Professor of Meteorology, Valparaiso University Dr. Kevin Goebbert oversees the OSSR, the Registrar Office, the Center for Innovations in Teaching and Learning, the Access and Accommodations Office, and represents the Provost Office on faculty governance committees. He also served as Executive Director of Strategic Planning that resulted in the current strategic plan. He has taught undergraduates courses focusing on large-scale weather phenomenon and technology driven courses including synoptic meteorology and forecasting, numerical weather prediction, and meteorological computer applications. His research interests include meteorological scales of motion from turbulence to synoptic frontal systems, as well as the scholarship of teaching and learning. He serves as Chair of the Unidata Strategic Advisory Committee and as a Member Representative for University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). Previously he was Engagement Commissioner in the American Meteorological Society.

Pete Johnson, Ph.D. Professor of Mechanical Engineering Dr. Pete Johnson serves as a faculty liaison for the Collaboratory at Valparaiso University, connecting external organizations with faculty based on shared interests. He has helped shape the Collaboratory’s structure, Industry Council, and broader NSF Planning Grant initiatives by leading faculty and administrator workshops. A faculty member in Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering since 2003, Dr. Johnson earned his B.A. in Physics from Gustavus Adolphus College (1998) and his M.S. (2001) and Ph.D. (2003) in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University. He served as Department Chair from 2008–2017. Recognized for his commitment to teaching and service, he received the 50K Coalition College of Engineering Diversity in Teaching Award (2021) and the Excellence in Campus Citizenship Award (2022). His research spans computational fluid dynamics to engineering education, including recent studies on guitar soundboard acoustics with faculty from multiple disciplines.

Reva Johnson, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering Dr. Reva E. Johnson is a founding faculty liaison for the Collaboratory. Her research focuses on human-machine interfaces such as prosthetics, haptics, and sensory feedback systems that help users better control assistive devices. A National Rising Star award recipient from the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network, Dr. Johnson builds strategic partnerships with both industry and healthcare, including ongoing collaborations with Bionic Prosthetics and Orthotics and GoBabyGo. She currently co-leads a multi-institutional initiative to expand undergraduate research opportunities across diverse institutions. She also leads nationwide workshops on story-driven learning and serves as associate editor-in-chief of Assistive Technology journal. Dr. Johnson earned her MS and PhD in biomedical engineering from Northwestern University, where she studied prosthesis control and sensorimotor adaptation in the Center for Bionic Medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.

Shaun Sahlhoff Executive Director for External Relations Shaun Sahlhoff is an experienced leader in economic development, workforce planning, and external relations. As Executive Director of External Relations at Valparaiso University, he cultivates partnerships with government, corporate, and community stakeholders to align external initiatives with the University’s mission. Prior to Valparaiso, Shaun served as Director of Planning and Development at the Center of Workforce Innovations, securing millions of dollars in grants for regional workforce initiatives. He previously held roles at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and in Congress, where he shaped policy and stakeholder engagement strategies. Shaun holds a B.A. in Political Science from Wabash College. Passionate about fostering collaboration, he also oversees the Collaboratory, connecting students and faculty with industry leaders to drive innovation.

Devin Sodums Director of the Office of Sponsored & Student Research Devin holds a BS and MS from McGill University and has an extensive background in research with a focus on neuroscience. He has worked in various project management and research leadership positions across his work at John Hopkins University and more recently at the Rotman Research Institute in Toronto. Devin’s most recent position was the cognitive neuroscience lead for the Rotman Research Institute and Baycrest Academy for Research and Education, in which he helped manage multiple studies of aging and worked to promote working relationships between University of Toronto scientists, Baycrest clinical groups, and external non-profit organizations. The Office of Sponsored and Student Research assists faculty and staff seeking external grants and fellowships, oversees student research opportunities, organizes and supports research ethics training, and administers the Institutional Review Board and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.