Mike Raab
Mike is responsible for overseeing key programs and initiatives, developing relationships with the Northwestern and Chicago entrepreneurial communities, and building new communities around the world to support Northwestern student founders. Prior to The Garage, Mike was an investor at a venture capital firm founded by Northwestern alumni, where he provided support and mentorship. He began his career serving in a multitude of strategy-focused roles at one of the largest media companies in Los Angeles. Mike is a proud “double” Northwestern alum, having graduated with a BS in Communication focused on TV & Film and MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
Elisa Mitchell
Elisa ensures smooth operations and finances to support The Garage’s programs, spaces, and community. She is an accomplished attorney and CPA with 18 years of experience in the financial securities industry, bringing new investment products to market. As a team member at Allstate, Van Kampen, Morgan Stanley, and Invesco, Elisa helped business leaders navigate a complex competitive landscape and a challenging regulatory framework. She brings strong organizational skills, attention to detail and a can-do attitude to every project. She is thrilled to be the Assosiate Director of Operations and Finance at The Garage and enjoys helping each student start a unique entrepreneurial journey.
Jake Juracka
Jake is in charge of maintaining all technology within The Garage and The Makerspace. Jake found his passion for 3D Printing and Makerspace operations while working at DePaul University’s Idea Realization Lab. After achieving his BS in Video Game Development, Jake put his expertise towards industry, working as Lead Quality Inspector for Fast Radius, a cloud manufacturing company pushing the limits of 3D printing for industrial applications. Excited to be returning to an education role, Jake works to keep all the tools and equipment in The Garage running smoothly, and looks forward to helping students and prospective entrepreneurs realize their creative visions.
Kitty Clark
Kitty leads marketing and community engagement at The Garage, sharing the stories of Northwestern’s student founders and building connections across the innovation community. She oversees digital strategy, content creation, and campaigns that highlight the impact of entrepreneurship on campus and beyond. Before joining The Garage, Kitty worked in communications and media relations at various higher education institutions and in corporate philanthropy at General Motors. She brings creativity, empathy, and a collaborative spirit to every project and loves helping students share their ideas and build something meaningful.
Keyaira Lock Adewunmi
Keyaira is a human-centric community builder who is eager to expand Northwestern's enterprising community nationally and internationally, starting with the SF Bay Area. With a specific focus on serving alumni founders, Keyaira is dedicated to nurturing a communal environment where innovation flourishes, business cultivation thrives, and Northwestern's entrepreneurial impact is recognized across Silicon Valley and beyond. Prior to joining The Garage SF, Keyaira operated as an intraprenuer in tech, including Twitter and Meta, to pioneer global initiatives that transformed market opportunities into millions in incremental revenue before achieving her MBA at Kellogg and founding her psychedelic consulting practice, Spice & Sage. Serving as a proud member of the innovation economy, Keyaira looks forward to the cultivation of a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem that elevates everyone involved.
Sarah Stein
Sarah is responsible for planning and executing VentureCat, Northwestern’s annual student startup competition, which awards more than $175k in non-dilutive capital to student participants. Since joining Northwestern in 2012, Sarah has worked in units across the University and in a variety of areas including faculty research and grant funding, corporate and alumni engagement, and student programming. Prior to joining The Garage, Sarah spent several years as the Manager of the Entrepreneurship Program at the Kellogg School of Management. Sarah is thrilled to have the opportunity to utilize her understanding of the university landscape and entrepreneurial ecosystem to benefit student entrepreneurs and partners across the University.
Beth Kahan
Beth provides a variety of clerical & administrative support for The Garage. She graduated from Northern Illinois University with a BFA in Theatre in 2021, and has been pursuing creative ventures and providing administrative support in Chicago ever since. Beth is happy to be a Wildcat and to support The Garage and the Northwestern community.
Margaret Katny
Margaret provides a variety of administrative support for The Garage in the evenings. By day, she helps run a dog daycare and boarding facility in Chicago, a business she and her partner built from the ground up. She holds a BA in Advertising and Public Relations and a BS in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago. She is looking forward to supporting The Garage and its Northwestern community.
2311 Campus Drive Suite 2300
Evanston, IL 60208
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