Kevin Gardiner is the director of UConn's Innovation Quest (iQ) Program, and an adjunct professor in UConn's School of Business and School of Engineering. He has nearly two decades of experience working with companies to improve their operational efficiencies, while also enhancing both the employee and the customer experience. He has worked in various management and senior management positions at early stage start-ups, multi-million dollar startups (Welcome Commerce, acquired by Salsify), and multi-billion dollar companies like GSI Commerce (acquired by eBay) and Macy’s.

Kevin is currently an executive at Oracle, and his previous experience spans a wide breadth of industries, including eCommerce, Omni-Channel Retail, Customer Service, Recruitment Marketing, Mortality-Linked Securities, Future of Work Technology, Pharmaceutical Equipment, and Artificial Intelligence. He received a BSBA in Finance from Bryant University, an MBA from The University of Connecticut, and is currently a Master's Degree candidate at Columbia University.

Kevin has held elected office in Connecticut, where he lives with his wife and two children. He is a voracious cyclist, drummer, and reader.

Pamela Costa is the department manager for the Boucher Management & Entrepreneurship Department at the School of Business, where she has worked for 18 years. Known for her friendly manner and dedication to helping students, she has been instrumental in organizing the iQ competition and enjoys supporting students as they pursue their entrepreneurial journeys.

Sophie Takmopoulos is a senior at the University of Connecticut, pursuing a individualized major bachelor's degree in global business in health innovation. At UConn, Sophie serves as president of Global Business Ambassadors, leading initiatives to promote global engagement and professional development. She is also a healthcare analyst for Hillside Ventures, UConn's student-run venture capital fund, where she evaluates early-stage startups, conducts due diligence, and collaborates with industry experts to refine investment strategies. Additionally, Sophie is the chief operating officer of Alevia Pharma Inc., a UConn-developed biotech company focused on pioneering treatments for cancer patients. Previously, she served as the co-founder and vice president of Future Health Leaders, a club dedicated to bringing together health and STEM related majors.

Beyond her UConn involvement, Sophie currently works with Fizio, a digital physical therapy startup, leading marketing and strategical impacts to help advance its mission to provide professional virtual physical therapy services powered by computer vision and AI to all individuals. She has also interned with RTW Investments in New York City, contributing to pharmaceutical R&D tracking processes for large pharma companies.

Sophie's entrepreneurial passion lies in expediting the commercialization of healthcare and biotech innovations to bring transformative solutions to market, and this year Sophie is the student ambassador for Innovation Quest, supporting entrepreneurial students in launching innovative ventures. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, exploring creative outlets, and empowering others through her leadership roles. She is excited to continue making an impact in healthcare innovation and entrepreneurship during her final year at UConn!

sophie.takmopoulos@uconn.edu