ABOUT US
We believe in the city of Birmingham, AL and its potential to become an inspiring leader of innovation, business start-ups, and technology. We believe in the people of Birmingham, AL and their abilities, talents, and expertise to guide us to that destination. We believe in the power of connection, and know that the best ideas and relationships are born from the unique gifts and perspectives we all bring to the table. We believe in the impact of having a shared mission of making the world a better place, from which we know amazing things can happen. We are a team of local business people, industry experts, entrepreneurs, and innovators dedicated to solving complex societal issues through entrepreneurship and the creation of new business. Learn more about our team below!
MELISSA MANCINI
Assoc. Vice President Strategy & Business Development,
UAB Medicine
Coming soon...
WILL WRIGHT
Vice President of Digital and Innovation,
Protective Life Corporation
Will Wright is the Vice President of Digital and Innovation at Protective Life Corporation where he leads the company’s portfolio of innovation projects and digital maturity strategy. Will previously co-founded, ran and exited a digital health start up called Pack Health focused on chronic disease management and was a consultant with McKinsey & Company focused on serving healthcare clients. A native of Los Angeles, Will currently calls Birmingham, AL home. Will is the president of the Harvard Club of Alabama and is on the local boards of Venture for America and the American Cancer Society. Will has an MBA and MPH with honors from UC Berkeley and a BA magna cum laude in Biology from Harvard.
RUBIN PILLAY
Chief Innovation Officer, UAB School of Medicine
Coming soon...
RANDA HALL
Associate Chair of External Relations & Alumni Affairs; Assistant Professor for the Department of Health Services Administration at UAB
Randa Smith Hall, MBA, MSHA is Associate Chair of External Relations & Alumni Affairs and an Assistant Professor for the Department of Health Services Administration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Before returning to UAB, Randa brings extensive experience with the field of practice after working in an integrative healthcare delivery system in Knoxville, TN, a dermatology group practice in Pinehurst, NC and the quality improvement organization for North Carolina. During her 18 years at UAB, she has held a variety of roles from student recruitment to placements for internships and administrative residencies to MSHA Program Director. In her current role, she is responsible for engaging alumni within the Department of Health Services Administration with other alumni, students, and faculty. She coordinates the Annual Preceptors’ Conference and InnoHack. Ms. Hall chairs the national Health Administration Case Competition, which brings together graduate students from across the country for a capstone experience and networking opportunity with national healthcare executives in Birmingham, Alabama.
LYDIA DICK
Director, Anvil Program
Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Lydia Dick is the Director of the Anvil program underneath the UAB Harbert Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The Anvil supports undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. students who would like to start a business and offers a 10 week Student Startup Bootcamp program. Lydia is also the co-founder of Bham BizHub, which aims to advance and grow entrepreneurship in the Birmingham region by serving as a centralized information hub helping founders and stakeholders navigate the community landscape. Lydia is a Venture for America fellow and has a BA in Cognitive Sciences from Rice University.
DANIEL PRIDGEN
MSHA/MBA Candidate at UAB, Management Assoc. Strategy & Business Development, UAB Medicine
Daniel Pridgen is a MSHA/ MBA candidate at UAB and a Management Associate with UAB Medicine’s Strategy & Business Development team. Prior to graduate school, Daniel led enterprise initiatives as a project manager for Cox Communications, the nation’s 3rd largest cable company. As a member of Cox’s New Growth & Develop team, he managed projects focused on developing, incubating, and launching new businesses in telehealth, digital health, and IoT. Daniel is passionate about entrepreneurship and corporate “intrapreneurship” and looks forward to how both will enable growth in the city of Birmingham. Daniel has a BA in Consumer Economics from the University of Georgia.