Our Team
The Garage Staff

Melissa Kaufman
Executive Director
As founding executive director of The Garage, Melissa leads the team and vision for the space, community, and programming. She is a former Googler, startup veteran, and entrepreneur with a decade of experience at consumer technology companies in Silicon Valley. Currently, she is a committee member of ChicagoNEXT (the mayor’s technology council), a member of P33 (the Chicago Technology Initiative), and a venture partner at Chicago Ventures. She was named to Chicago Inno’s 50 on Fire in 2017 and Crain’s Tech 50 in 2018. Melissa received her BA in computer science from Dartmouth College.

Mike Raab
Associate Director
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 Northwestern alum, having graduated with a BS in Communication focused on TV & Film.

Elisa Mitchell
Assistant Director of Operations & Finance
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 Assistant Director of Operations and Finance at The Garage and enjoys helping each student start a unique entrepreneurial journey.

Benjamin Williams
Senior IT Manager
Ben ensures The Garage has the right physical and digital technologies to support our space and community. He is a lifelong technology enthusiast, AV systems whiz, and US Army veteran. While deployed to Balad Air Base, Ben assisted as security escort for the ASV fielding and recovery services. During his career, Ben has provided AV/IT services at sites such as The Pentagon, Securities, and Exchange Commission, Scott and Nellis Air Force Base, Chevron Headquarters, and ExxonMobil’s Houston campus.

Elisabeth Wright
Marketing Manager
Elisabeth oversees all of the marketing, branding, and communications for The Garage. She has worked in the public and educational sectors and has special interests in international relations and social entrepreneurship. Elisabeth also has extensive experience in nonprofit marketing. She’s joined The Garage with a passion for work in higher education and a love of all things student-centered. Elisabeth received her BA in Anthropology and Southeast Asian Studies and her Master’s of Public Administration in Nonprofit Management from Northern Illinois University.

Sherrell Dorsey
Medill / The Garage Fellow
Sherrell is the founder and CEO of The Plug, a digital news and insights platform covering the Black innovation economy. Her work has been featured in VICE, The Washington Post, Seattle Times, The Information, and more. Sherrell has been a contributing writer for notable publications like Columbia Journalism Review, Fast Company, Black Enterprise, and others. In 2018, she was named an inspiring woman in tech by CNet. She holds a Master’s degree in data journalism from Columbia University.
Entrepreneurs-in-Residence

Sarah Ahmad
The Garage SF

Paul Burton
The Garage – Evanston

Patrice Darby
The Sardine Bar

Tom Hayden
The Garage – Evanston

James Hirchak
The Sardine Bar

Matt Kiminsky
The Sardine Bar

Lilia Kogan
The Garage – Evanston

Cameron MacArthur
The Garage SF

Jon McNeill
The Garage SF

Andrew Parkinson
The Garage – Evanston

Thomas Parkinson
The Garage – Evanston

Collin Pham
The Garage SF

Michael Saunders
The Garage – Evanston

Ben Turtel
The Garage – Evanston

Jason Weinberger
The Sardine Bar
Mentors
Questions?
Please contact us at thegarage@northwestern.edu