Director, Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Program
Tell us the story of how you came to work at NYU Law.
I joined NYU Law just about two years ago as the first full-time director of the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital (EVC) Program.
Before coming to NYU Law, I was a startup founder. I built and launched my company, Shine Registry, while getting my master’s degree in public policy and management at Carnegie Mellon University, where I was a part of the campus incubator program. While I was there, I used as many of the campus startup resources as I could and then ran the company for about five years after finishing my degree.
Shine Registry was started with the idea that if you can buy your friend a gravy boat when they get married, you can help get them the stuff they need when they’re starting a business. More than 500 registries were created on our platform, and during the COVID-19 pandemic we worked with regional economic development groups across the US to help get resources to small businesses. Many of our users used our tools to host “Business Showers“ where they brought their communities together to support them on their startup journeys.
Before startups, I worked in political organizing, advocacy, and public policy, including time at an advocacy group fighting against increased spending in judicial elections post-Citizens United. I love being in a role now where I can use my experience as a startup founder, especially the experience of being a non-MBA student interested in entrepreneurship, to inform the type of programming we develop.
What’s a typical day for you like?
Every day is different! The EVC Program builds connections to resources and networks for NYU Law alumni and students who are working, involved, or interested in startups and venture capital. This includes community-focused programming, funding 1L summer internship opportunities, and seed-stage equity investments.
Some days I’m running workshops with alumni on topics like how startup founders can effectively work with regulators, or how to understand pre- and post-money company valuations. Other days I might be preparing students to pitch in our annual business pitch competition, or working with the EVC Advisory Board on deciding whether or not to invest in an NYU Law alumni-led startup.
What’s the most challenging thing about what you do? And what’s the most rewarding?
We’re the only top law school with a program quite like this, and because we’re relatively new, many students and alumni aren’t aware of the programming and resources we offer—yet! I’m excited for this profile to reach a few more folks! Students in particular have so many exciting opportunities competing for their attention, so getting the word out—especially about things like our events or our grants for 1Ls to intern at alumni-led startups—can be a challenge.
That said, it’s incredibly meaningful to build programming that resonates. Launching a startup or bringing a new idea into the world is extremely hard, but it’s made easier when you have access to the right resources, a strong network, and a supportive community. All of those things exist at NYU Law, both in our alumni network, and in our broader NYU ecosystem. Doing the work of bringing it all together with the enthusiasm of NYU Law students and alumni that I’ve had the chance to work with, is incredibly meaningful and rewarding.
What do you wish you’d known about the Law School on your first day of working here?
Alumni from NYU Law are doing amazing work in so many industries! When I initially learned about this program, I thought the majority of NYU Law alumni working in startups would be working on legal tech companies. We have incredible alumni doing extremely impactful work in that space, much of it with a focus on access to justice and utilizing advances in AI, but we also have a rich legacy of alumni being successful outside of legal tech and legal roles, at a wide range of companies as well as in venture capital.
The EVC Program portfolio companies reflect this well. We’ve invested in six companies so far, and half could be defined as legal tech while the other half include an electric dental floss company, a sustainable furniture startup, and a fintech platform. NYU Law attracts smart, ambitious and motivated people who want to make an impact in the world. It shouldn’t be a surprise that there is an incredible range for how to do that.
What is your favorite spot on campus, and why?
I’m going to cheat and give you two, since my first answer might not be exactly what you’re asking. The first spot is the shelf in my office where I’m building a small display of companies founded by NYU Law alumni. It currently features a bag of overnight oats by Maja, founded by Mackenzie Varthi ’20, avocado oil from west~bourne by Camilla Marcus ’12; heatless hair curlers from RobeCurls by Emily Kennison ’14; and the book AI for Lawyers by Noah Waisberg ’06, cofounder of Zuva and Kira Systems.
When I flew on Southwest Airlines recently, I made a point of asking a flight attendant if they had any swag I could add to my shelf, and I was gifted a luggage tag with a photo of Herb Kelleher ’56 on it. He was a Root-Tilden Scholar and practiced law for 25 years before becoming the co-founder of an airline. The photo on the luggage tag shows him flying a paper airplane, which feels perfect, because the EVC Program has a paper plane in its logo.
Also, the library. My mom was a librarian and my dad collected books. I have very bookish roots, and I was very much a library kid growing up. The Law School library is gorgeous, and it feels like a treat whenever I have an excuse to visit.
Posted April 24, 2025